LittLe Harm to Us-Pakistan ties Post Leaks

WikiLeaks, a whistleblower organization that publishes sensitive government leaks from anonymous sources made public a staggering 91,000 documents, mainly ground reports from US military personnel by putting them on its website, which has blown the lid off Pakistan’s hypocritical relationship with America. The documents expose Pakistan’s collaboration with Taliban and various other terrorist organizations through its spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and overt claims of being an US ally in its fight against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Washington has paid Pakistan nearly US$18 billion of American taxpayer’s money since the war began at the end 2001 for access to Afghanistan even as Islamabad used ISI to plot the death of American and Nato troops, allied Indian personnel, the documents suggest.

Pentagon’s funding for training the Pakistani forces as well as for providing equipment, including F-16 combat jets, missiles, heavy artillery guns and helicopter gunships is estimated to be worth more than $3 billion this year. The most devastating leaks showed that Pakistan allows representatives of ISI to meet directly with the Taliban in secret strategy sessions to organize attacks against American soldiers in Afghanistan and even hatch plots to assassinate Afghan leaders including President Hamid Karzai. Indian officials have long claimed that ISI maintains ties with the Taliban and has helped orchestrate attacks in Afghanistan in recent years. New Delhi has at times been frustrated that Washington hasn’t taken its concerns more seriously. Now India has some more ammunition to back up its assessment, buried in thousands of pages of leaked U.S. military documents.

The U.S. hasn’t addressed a fundamental flaw in its Afghanistan strategy – that it is authorizing “billions of dollars of funds for a military establishment in Pakistan that is arming, training and harboring terrorists.” But what is more worrisome is US’s soft policies for Pakistan, despite the fact that it has been completely aware of ISI’s activities. But then it can’t do without Pakistan because of the geography of the region, which makes it nearly impossible for it to target Al Qaeda in Afghanistan without passing through Pakistan.

Most American supplies of food, fuel and ammunition to its troops have to go through Pakistan’s territory. The alternative route through Iran is not feasible politically. A northern route through the Caucasus and Central Asia is too long and remains to be developed.

As far as hunting Al Qaeda hideouts is concerned, ISI’s knowledge of the terrain and tribes is unparallel. For more than three decades, the ISI has been actively promoting Pakistan’s political agenda across the Durand Line.

And having invested heavily in Taliban, the ISI and the Pakistan army wouldn’t let go off its handle over Afghanistan.

As the Taliban strengthened its base and challenged the international forces, the US stepped up its military presence in Afghanistan, which obviously meant seeking more help from Pakistan.

Expectedly the leak won’t affect US-Pakistan ties as much as it did average Americans who feel cheated after billions of their dollars now seem to have harbored terrorists to destroy them.

In fact just a few days back in a significant development that reflects the United States’ improving ties with and support to its vital ally in fighting terrorism in the south Asian region, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced aid worth more than $500 million for implementing several projects in Pakistan.

India has expressed its concern over the “excessive” US military aid to Pakistan and told a visiting top American military commander that the aid should only be used to fight terror. Defence Minister AK Antony met Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff and the two discussed the changing dynamics in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. “Antony conveyed to him the Indian concern over the US aid to Pakistan and told him that it should only be used to fight terror. The amount of aid to Pakistan is disproportionate and is much more than needed to fight terror,” an official privy to the meeting has been quoted by the media.

However, Admiral Mike Mullen says he is confident the weapons the United States is selling to Pakistan are being used for their intended purpose - to fight Al-Qaida and related terrorist organizations. But he says he urged Indian leaders to continue to discuss their concerns with him and other U.S. officials.

“We certainly understand the concerns and at the same time I don’t believe that we’ve sold any weapons to Pakistan which greatly imbalance the capability between the two countries.”

The admiral said the United States does not monitor the exact location or use of each item it sells to Pakistan, but his confidence they are being used properly is based on the increased trust between the U.S. and Pakistani governments built up in recent years.

U.S. officials also noted that the United States has sold sophisticated weapons to India, and is working on more sales, possibly including fighter jets. [ By Lavanya Garikina ]