Passing through the Crisis

26 October 2011 | 22:16 Code : 17398 Asia & Africa

Hillary Clinton’s visit to Pakistan is a sign of passing the crisis for Washington and Islamabad, after the harsh allegations by Mike Mullen. Pirmohammad Mollazehi, Pakistan’s affairs expert.

The recent visit by Hillary Clinton to Pakistan took place in a particular situation, as tensions between Pakistan and the US had escalated following Admiral Mike Mullen’s allegations leveled at Islamabad that it was backing the Haqqani terrorist network. The US also threatened to breach Pakistan’s sovereignty over the Waziristan region and to take militarily action against the Haqqani network. In response, Islamabad warned that any intervention by the US in Pakistan will be met with Pakistan’s army’s reaction. US-Pakistan relations had reached the boiling point, according to some analysts, and bilateral relations were on the verge of suspension.

But something different lies beneath: it can be seen that the Americans on the one hand put pressure on Pakistanis to crack down on the radical groups and on the other hand, behind the curtain, talk Pakistan into aligning itself with the US’s interests in Afghanistan, all while it should not be forgotten that seasoned Pakistani generals cannot be cheated easily; that is, they neither create a situation which is conducive to struggle with Washington nor meet the US’s demands regarding northern Waziristan, even if that leads to a war with the US. Washington is wielding the stick above Pakistanis’ head (Mullen’s remarks), while tempting them with carrots (Hillary’s comments.)

It is noteworthy that the US knows it cannot withdraw its forces easily from Afghanistan without the aid of Pakistan, while Pakistan knows that without support from Washington, it would not survive. Both countries are aware of this fact and that explains Hillary Clinton’s soft tone in her visit to Pakistan. What leaked out from behind-the-curtain negotiations suggested that the situation is likely to change in the regions where the Taliban, al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network dwell; that is, Islamabad will exert further pressure on terrorist groups active in this region as Washington ups its military attacks, whether through drone attacks, or assassination of the leaders of the Haqqani network and other terrorist groups (just as what happened to Osama Bin Laden). Each country is pursuing its own interests, which do not overlap in most places, but Clinton’s visit was an effort to dilute the adverse effects of Mike Mullen’s remarks.