Pakistan's new leaders tell US: We are no longer your killing field

[Neo]

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Pakistan's new leaders tell US: We are no longer your killing field

· Visiting envoys earn cold reception from coalition
· PM wants new approach to fight Islamic extremism

Declan Walsh in Islamabad The Guardian
Thursday March 27 2008

The Bush administration is scrambling to engage with Pakistan's new rulers as power flows from its strong ally, President Pervez Musharraf, to a powerful civilian government buoyed by anti-American sentiment.

Top diplomats John Negroponte and Richard Boucher travelled to a mountain fortress near the Afghan border yesterday as part of a hastily announced visit that has received a tepid reception.

On Tuesday, senior coalition partner Nawaz Sharif gave the visiting Americans a public scolding for using Pakistan as a "killing field" and relying too much on Musharraf.

Yesterday the new prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, said he warned President George Bush in a phone conversation that he would prioritise talking as well as shooting in the battle against Islamist extremism. "He said that a comprehensive approach is required in this regard, specially combining a political approach with development," a statement said.

But Gilani also reassured Bush that Pakistan would "continue to fight against terrorism", it said.

Since 2001 American officials have treasured their close relationship with Musharraf because he offered a "one-stop shop" for cooperation in hunting al-Qaida fugitives hiding in Pakistan.

But since the crushing electoral defeat of Musharraf's party last month, and talk that the new parliament may hobble the president's powers, that equation has changed. Now the US finds itself dealing with politicians it previously spurned.

The body language between Negroponte and Sharif during their meeting on Tuesday spoke volumes: the Pakistani greeted the American with a starched handshake, and sat at a distance .

In blunt remarks afterwards, Sharif said he told Negroponte that Pakistan was no longer a one-man show. "Since 9/11, all decisions were taken by one man," he said. "Now we have a sovereign parliament and everything will be debated in the parliament."

It was "unacceptable that while giving peace to the world we make our own country a killing field," Sharif said, echoing widespread public anger at US-funded military operations in the tribal belt.

"If America wants to see itself clean of terrorism, we also want our villages and towns not to be bombed," he said.

US officials have long paid tribute to the virtues of democracy in Pakistan. But, as happened in the Palestinian Authority after the 2006 Hamas victory, policymakers are racing to catch up with the consequences of a result that challenges American priorities.

The US has long been suspicious of Sharif, whom it views as sympathetic to religious parties. Unlike Benazir Bhutto, whose return from exile was negotiated through the US, Sharif came under the protection of Saudi Arabia. But now Sharif's party, which performed well in the poll, is an integral part of the new government.

Yesterday Negroponte and Boucher travelled to the Khyber Pass in North-West Frontier Province, the centre of a growing insurgency. They met with the commander of the Frontier Corps, a poorly equipped paramilitary force that the US has offered to upgrade. The US has earmarked $750m (£324m) for a five-year development programme in tribal areas. At least 22 military instructors are due to start training the corps this year.

The timing of the American visit - before the new cabinet is announced - has offended Pakistanis. "It flies in the face of normal protocol at a time when public opinion is rife that they are making a last ditch effort to save Musharraf," said Talat Hussain, a prominent journalist.

It is unclear how Pakistan's foreign policy will be formulated in future. Musharraf's power may have been cut but the strong army is lurking in the shadows, and the coalition is wrangling over cabinet posts, including that of foreign minister.

Gilani must manage other tensions, particularly over whether to reinstate Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the deposed chief justice who was freed from house arrest on Monday. Chaudhry has become a folk hero but is viewed with suspicion by Gilani's Pakistan People's party.

Pakistan's new leaders tell US: We are no longer your killing field | World news | The Guardian

[maqsad]

Finally someone is using their backbone to get back some dignity for pakistanis.

[Neo]

The backbone will easlily be broken if the US turns her back on us and declares Pakistan a rogue country.
Unless we've China's full backing to go against US there's no use angering world sole Super Power.

Instead GoP should renegotiate the strategy and price for our support for WoT.

[Myth_buster_1]

but hold on dont be juzbathi with pulling troops from border and back firing america..

[maqsad]

The backbone will easlily be broken if the US turns her back on us and declares Pakistan a rogue country.
Unless we've China's full backing to go against US there's no use angering world sole Super Power.

Instead GoP should renegotiate the strategy and price for our support for WoT.

The backbone could easily be broken even if the Chinese supported pakistan 100% militarily and diplomatically. If the US has any LEGITIMATE requests or concerns then I am sure they can be taken care of without cracking pakistan in two pieced vertically.

The only possible complication is if religious leaders get too much power and start screwing things up but I doubt Nawaz Sharif will be given that much of a leash so the Saudis will still get their proxy in with some power but not enough to make the west too nervous regarding the nukes. I am sure people have briefed Nawaz Sharif already on how he cannot play the Amir ul Momineen card again without getting killed this time round.

[maqsad]

but hold on dont be juzbathi with pulling troops from border and back firing america..

Troops have a very predictable habit of staying put no matter who put them where. Also 4 new forts are under construction in Waziristan which will also continue.

The only things which will stop is lunacy like those secret predator missile strikes ordered by bloodthirsty lunatics sitting in Langley who get their kicks out of blowing up compounds and then sending an FYI to the pak government.

[JK!]

When the Duke of Wellington became British Prime Minister he remarked how he gave his orders but instead of carrying them out his subordinates wanted to sit down and discuss them.

So Nawaz Sharif is going to spend time talking instead of taking decisive action so I conclude the man is a complete ClusterF-uck

[araz]

The backbone will easlily be broken if the US turns her back on us and declares Pakistan a rogue country.
Unless we've China's full backing to go against US there's no use angering world sole Super Power.

Instead GoP should renegotiate the strategy and price for our support for WoT.

I think it is a good step. It gives us a bit of clout asthe US can not afford to see all its work in Afghanistan and NWFP undone. The Governement will renegotiate the terms and ensure that the right signals are sent to each party concerned. I think Gilani has played his hand well. I however ,like everybody else hope that the last 10 yrs has brought some maturity in the ranks and file of the two leading parties. They need to have a pot to loot as the present pot will disappear very soon unless they take steps to stabilize and reinforce the system. This is where the crunch lies . If they falter, there will be disastrous consequences both for them and for Pakistan. We need to wait and see as this is just posturing before the game begins .
Araz

[Myth_buster_1]

When the Duke of Wellington became British Prime Minister he remarked how he gave his orders but instead of carrying them out his subordinates wanted to sit down and discuss them.

So Nawaz Sharif is going to spend time talking instead of taking decisive action so I conclude the man is a complete ClusterF-uck

i am 100% on that! and lol at the end

[IceCold]

So what if the parliment rejects the US call for taking military actions in the tribal area. We mustnt forget that all of the elected parties had one thing very common in their election debate and their party manifesto was that all of the military action would be stoped in the tribal areas, and that is what brought them back to the power. Right now the people of pakistan does not care what will the consequences of such actions, all they want is to stop such military actions in the tribal area so that the suecide bombing that is done as a reaction in other parts of pakistan could be stoped.
The new government will be brought at a tough spot. If they choose to neglect the wishes of the people like Musharraf did, they are likely to suffer the same faith he did and maybe more by making sure that next time a more extremist government gets elected which by the way will be the worst fear of the west, and if the government decides to withdraw such support it may result in more serious violations of our borders by the US which by the way we are in no position to put a hold on not until we go completely against them and that too will prove to be diasterous for pakistan.
A balance approach is needed but what will that approach be, only time will tell.

[maqsad]

I think the new government is capable of doing a better job than musharaff. I remember reading somewhere that Colin Powel(or maybe it was someone else) was laughing at how easily musharaff rolled over for the US for so little. Well now the old player is gone and in the new game the US may have its troops in Afghanistan but it has a lot less sympathy from the US public for military action.

Also the pakistani parliament is going to work closely with Gen Kiyani who is very well liked in the UK and probably the US also. I am sure together they can formulate a strategy which will stop pakistan from breaking apart from the inside while also controlling all the fiends working from the outside to undermine pakistan.

[Tiki Tam Tam]

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Disillusioned people tend to fantasise a better future whenever there is a change.

It is also amusing to observe on this forum that the steadfastness of defending Musharraf. before the elections, is vanishing faster than Ponds Vanishing Cream!

The only anti Musharraf person was Lahori and he was hounded at every opportunity so much so he stopped posting!!

And now, the "brave" Lions are surfacing!!

Musharraf may have had many faults. Musharraf may have not lived upto to ideals many a fundamentalist Moslem would want. Yet, like it or not, the brave and economically resurgent Pakistan is all thanks to Musharraf. Don't be unfair. Don't be like weather vanes.

Musharraf is no friend of India. But, here on a Pakistani forum, I wear the Pakistani eyeglass to see the Pakistani viewpoint. I find that this poor man, who is being condemned by the "bravehearts', who actually have no such credentials, are being grossly unfair to him.

It maybe true that Musharraf may have not been in line with fundamentalist Islam and it maybe true that many Pakistanis would have been disappointed. But, it is also true that Musharraf salvaged the nation from being a rouge state and an international breadbasket case.

Today, the democratic freedom that you enjoy (he could have been like Zia clinging on to power via the military), the free media that he allowed, the very economic resurgence that you enjoy, the very international acceptability that you are now so proud of, the very fact that you have a govt that is anti Musharraf, is all because of Musharraf.

Do be generous.

Do not be ungrateful self seekers.

Be patent. If 10% can give you anything better, do come back.

Or have the next General once again intervene to put Pakistan back on the rails.

It is too early to condemn Musharraf and gloat over 10%.

BTW, 10% may turn out better for India.

However, in this forum, I am thinking in a pragmatic Pakistani mindset.