American Apology: A Shame for Pakistan?
Posted on 10. Jul, 2012 by Farooq Hameed Khan in Pak-US Relations
How Will the ‘soft’ apology relieve Salala’s pain?
"Honourable leaders make honourable nations but then honourable people choose honourable leaders." Raja Mujtaba
By Brig (retd) Farooq Hameed Khan
The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s expression of ‘deepest regrets’ over Salala tragedy as well as her ‘sorry’ over losses suffered by the Pakistani military, seemed more of a 'soft' apology that provided a face saving to both sides.
Hillary’s carefully worded statement that ‘Foreign Minister Khar and I acknowledge the mistakes that resulted in loss of Pakistani military lives’ reflects acceptance of American position that Pakistan Army, too, was to blame for Salala’s fiasco. Our Foreign Minister needs to clarify if there was a change in our principled stance that the attack was unprovoked and deliberate, against a well marked border outpost in full knowledge of US/ISAF chain of command in Kabul.
Hillary Clinton appreciated Pakistan’s gesture of not charging any transit fee which would help US/ISAF conduct the planned drawdown at a much lower cost. The re -opening of NATO’s ground lines of communication (GLOC) would facilitate quick and economical withdrawal of US/NATO heavy war material ( tanks, guns, vehicles) from Afghanistan, but it would be at Pakistan’s cost since the damages to our road network would be colossal.
The Pakistani side blundered by failing to levy reasonable transit charges as per international practices. If according to US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta, the US /NATO had incurred an extra 100 million USD per month while paying many times more transit fees to central asian countries of Northern Distribution Network, then why take Pakistan for granted?
If Pakistan has shown magnanimity in not imposing transit fees, then who would bear cost of repair of our damaged road network since US/NATO’s logistic operations commenced through Pakistan in 2001? What happened to that one billion USD financial package being negotiated with US for repair of our communication infrastructure?
The parliamentary resolution clearly stated that Pakistani territory including its airspace shall not be used for transportation of arms/ ammunition to Afghanistan. The US Secretary of State acknowledged that no lethal equipment will transit through GLOC except for equipping Afghan security forces. Does this not imply that Pakistan’s airspace is free from such a restriction?
Over 7000 NATO containers including hundreds loaded with military equipment will roll out from Port Qasim and Karachi port towards Torkham/ Chaman in the coming days Has the government established the mechanism to scan and inspect containers at the ports so as to ensure that only non lethal supplies are allowed into Afghanistan? How do we ensure that lethal military equipment will not go through under cover of supplies destined for Afghan National Army or even through Afghan Transit trade?
While Hillary Clinton referred to enhanced Pak – US counter terrorism cooperation, yet there was no mention of any agreement on the contentious issue of CIA launched unilateral drone attacks in FATA. An agreement on greater intelligence sharing and joint control over mutually agreed targets was expected. By repeating the customary diplomatic ritual of condemning drone attacks, is our government playing a double game with its own people?
In light of the parliament resolution, has any worthwhile progress been made towards review of US footprint in Pakistan? The post Raymond Davis, Abbottabad and Salala stand offs did result in reducing US signature within the country including vacation of Shamsi airbase, expulsion of military trainers/ undercover operatives and enforcing strict visa issuance rules by our diplomatic missions abroad.
While the US termed the restrictions on free movement of US diplomats and disarming of their armed personnel as ‘harassment’, their travels within Pakistan require regulation in accordance with standard diplomatic norms/protocol.
Certain issues related to Pakistan’s national security interests may mar Pak- US relations in the coming months. Will the US facilitate or obstruct the extradition of our former Ambassador Husain Haqani if Supreme Court orders his appearance in Memogate hearings or is required during his likely trial subsequently in Pakistan?
Pakistan is unlikely to succumb to US pressure on Dr. Shakil Afridi’s treason trial and should reject any proposal to hand him over to US even if Afridi were to be honored with US citizen ship and Congressional medal. What if the Supreme Court initiates proceedings on petition filed against the construction of new US embassy/ mini USA in Islamabad?
Do the cross border attacks by Maulvi Fazlullah led TTP militants from Afghanistan’s Kunar/ Nuristan provinces have tacit support of US/NATO/ISAF? If US justified its drone attacks against alleged Haqani safe havens in North Waziristan, then does Pakistan not reserve the right to retaliate against Kunar/ Nuristan based TTP sanctuaries by employing its artillery and air power ?
That the blockade of GLOC hurt US/nato badly was evident from coercive US tactics to unnerve Pakistan. Recall Leon Panetta’s anti Pakistan outbursts in New Delhi and Kabul as well as threats of aid cutoff , military/economic sanctions and support for Baloch secessionists and Dr. Shakil Afridi by US lawmakers. There was a visible surge in drone strikes, too .
The Americans must have been taken aback with Pakistan’s strategic defiance and anger demonstrated since Salala, despite being their non NATO ally. By accepting Hillary Clinton’s ‘soft’ apology, Pakistan spared President Obama the embarrassment of completing a hat trick of formal apologies ( two made earlier to Afghanistan) in 2012, that would have invited sharp criticism from Obama’s political opponents in his re election campaign.
Will the ‘soft’ apology put derailed Pak-US relations back on track ? Can mutual trust and respect be ever restored in this unstable relationship which has a history of repeated lows and highs? Will the Pentagon uphold their Secretary of State’s commitment to prevent Salala from ever happening again?
In the grand finale to Salala , the US/nato got back their desperately needed GLOC free of cost. Pakistan settled for a ‘soft’ apology along with expected reimbursement of badly required one billion USD from Coalition Support Fund. While Hillary Clinton offered condolences to families of Salala martyrs, it is now certain that perpetrators of unprovoked and deliberate November 26 attack will never be brought to justice. Will Salala’s pain be ever relieved?
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Brig Farooq Hameed Khan
Rehmat
10. Jul, 2012
Reportedly, the apology comes as result of Putin-Obama deal. Russia, China and other members of SCO and BRIC are all interested in seeing the US and NATO out of Afghanistan for good.
http://rehmat1.com/2012/07/08/us-apologizes-pakistan-reopens-nato-supply-routes/
Afriq
11. Jul, 2012
Why Pakistani Patriots Need To Support DPC March Against Reopening US/NATO War Supply Routes
Pakistani women, in hijab and jeans, joined last year’s landmark protest against CIA drone attacks. We can unite for our homeland regardless of political, religious, social differences.
SPECIAL REPORT | Monday | 9 July 2012 | Press Release | PakNationalists Forum
PakNationalists.net
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—Patriotic Pakistanis need to support DPC’s long march and not be influenced by disinformation against DPC. Some critics describe DPC as a creation of the military. Others say it’s a group of extremists. Both accusations are lies. More importantly, they are an attempt to weaken Pakistani opposition to our role in wrong American policies. The disinformation also seeks to play on the manufactured division pitching religious and nonreligious Pakistanis against each other. Pakistanis can choose to be religious or not. They can respect these small differences and remain united when it comes to larger causes affecting the homeland.
The Defense of Pakistan Council has launched its ‘long march’ against the reopening of US military and NATO war supply routes. Up to 8,000 Pakistanis by police estimates and slightly more by DPC estimates are taking part. By rough estimates, an overwhelming majority of Pakistanis is opposed to Pakistani role in America’s failed war next door. Pakistanis want good relations with all nations, including the United States. But they won’t accept unfair deals where Pakistan is the loser. Islamabad’s cooperation with Washington on Afghanistan is one such situation.
Sadly, none of the opposition parties, particularly PMLN and PTI, are supporting the DPC march.
PMLN is an integral part of the corrupt and failed Pakistani political system. It is a waste of space to discuss why PMLN won’t support DPC. PMLN is out of touch on many issues close to the hearts of Pakistanis.
Imran Khan’s PTI supports an end to Pakistan’s role in America’s failed war next door. The PTI will launch a protest in Peshawar on July 14 against government’s decision to restore the facility to US military to transport its war supplies via Pakistani land routes to Afghanistan. [Note: it is more correct to describe them as US war supplies. Most NATO member countries have small deployments in Afghanistan. Most of the war supplies passing through Pakistan belong to US Army.]
When PTI launched its landmark protest against US supplies last year, Pakistani men and women, religious or nonreligious, belonging to middle and lower economic classes, vigorously participated. You could see Pakistani ladies in hijab and jeans, Pakistani men who came in luxurious cars and on bicycles, getting together for one cause: to stand by Pakistan against an unfair deal that destroyed Pakistan economy, stability and regional interests.
In short, PTI’s 2011 protest against US/NATO war supply routes proved Pakistanis are united on this issue across political, religious, and social divides. Of course, there exist in Pakistan a few pockets of support for wrong US policies and CIA drone attacks, but their presence and support are limited, and largely the result of Washington cultivating support inside Pakistan through various means, including illegitimate ones over the past decade.
We at PakNationalists Forum believe patriotic Pakistanis should support DPC’s long march, which is supposed to end in front of federal parliament in Islamabad. Pakistanis should not be swayed by disinformation on DPC. You don’t have to agree with the positions of each party behind DPC. And this is not a creation of Pakistani military or intelligence. Pakistanis are concerned about the latest shameful capitulation of our government in front of United States and its failure to protect our interests. DPC is just one more citizen group trying to create public awareness.
This is a platform, and a cause, worthy of us Pakistanis. Let’s lend support, by speaking in its favor, by calling on our politicians to support it, by urging the media to provide coverage, and by writing about it positively in newspapers, text messages and blogs. Most importantly, we need to see more Pakistanis setting aside minor differences and joining the cause.
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