Comments on: Kerry-Lugar Bill: The New US-Pakistan Order?

By: Joe Briggs

Joe Briggs — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:34:09 +0000

What an informative and insightful analysis of an issue and area that most of us Americans so no little of. Thanks.

By: Kaiser Tufail

Kaiser Tufail — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:12:58 +0000

The purpose of the few lines written below is to focus on the two specific issues which are, responsible for the loss of our sovereignty — a grave, reprehensible and appalling loss for Pakistanis.
The biggest dilemma Pakistan faces today is that of US coercion and browbeating. The cause of this predicament can be rooted to one single factor: Pakistan is being held hostage 1) to its economic situation at the national level and, 2) its leadership at the individual level. The country is being ransomed for a heavy price. Let us see how these two situations work against our interests and in favour of USA .
Pakistanis have played havoc with its economy by spending outrageously for providing services to the those who are already rich and do not need them at all: the federal and provincial ministers, the parliamentarians, senior military and civil servants, etc. Outrageously-sized federal and provincial cabinets which prey on the poor taxpayers’ money for their lusty and frivolous capers, imported Honda Accords as staff cars, phenomenally (pardon the pun) costly travel of senior military officers in private jets, ceiling for parliamentarians’ telephone bills reaching hundred of thousands of rupees, even Umra trips to buy loyalties at State expense… the list can go on ad nauseum. What is required is an immediate arrest of this trend, with one single purpose: No Aid from Any Quarter. Period. It may sound like a most naïve proposition and, most technocrats are sure to write this recipe off as the handiwork of a novice, but I am convinced that it is do-able, if we have the will to tighten our belts and sacrifice our comfort for the ultimate strength of our Motherland. Economists like Sartaj Aziz, Hafeez Pasha, Kaiser Bengali, Ahsan Iqbal and even Shaukat Tareen must get together and come up with a NO AID road-map spread over two years. If we are able to shed the yoke of foreign dependence, we will have far more freedom of action than we have ever experienced in 62 years. The West, led by USA , will not be able to intimidate us and, we will be able to live with our heads high and, without the shame of the begging bowl in our hands.
The second issue that Pakistan is confronted with is its inept leadership, which can be coerced and blackmailed no end. The US is making full use of their ability to arm-twist our leaders, from A to Z. One could not have ever imagined that the US would be brazen enough to ask for our so-called ‘surplus’ nuclear material for safe-keeping: to prevent it from falling into the hands of Taliban who are ‘as close as Taxila, which is a 10 minutes drive from ‘Izlemabad’ according to one sensationalist of Fox News. What baloney! It would have been considered preposterous to suggest that India use our road network to get to Afghanistan from where they can destabilise us as they will. That is adding insult to injury. The nation has to bear it, all, because our leadership is blackmailable, for the incriminating past that it has. Mark my words, the US is not going to let go of this present leadership as it is getting a windfall of strategic dimensions, something beyond their wildest imaginations. To sort the leadership issue, no technocrats like Aziz, Pasha, Bengali, Iqbal and Tareen are needed. It is the will of Pakistanis which needs to be exercised with a sincerity of purpose, to change the scheme of things. Else, it won’t be long before we see Advani’s rath yatras whizzing past defanged Ghaznavis and Hatfs!

By: Sohail Rabbani

Sohail Rabbani — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:07:23 +0000

I have to fully agree with Kaiser Tufail on the issue of refusing to accept this aid. It is a cup of honey spiked with cyanide. Sweet to taste but lethal in effect.

Pakistani workers abroad send about 7 billion dollars to support their families back home for their day to day living. (I’m not even going to mention the investment capital.) This is through banking channels. However, it is estimated that a similar amount is also sent home through ‘undocumented’ sources. If somehow an incentive system was put in place (higher exchage rate or something) that encoureged people to send the rest of the money also through banking channels, there would be 15 billion coming in and much of the currency balance problem of Pakistan would be eased.

The point is that by creative actions many problems can be eased and the situation is not as hopeless as it appears on the surface.

But the situation IS hopeless.

It isn’t hopeless because the situation itself is impossible. It is hopeless because those who are in a position to do something about it are the ones who are hopeless. I am talking about the power elite.

The situation of France between the fall of the monarchy and the rise of Napoleon was not dissimilar. Our feudal aristocracy is equally as corrupt AND inept as was the French.

As for the US, I have no grudge. They are NOT the problem. WE are the problem ourselves. Why should we blame the US for trying to do whatever the hell it thinks is in its own interest? (Although it may not be in their country’s interest really, but only in the interest of their elite.) We should be the ones watching out for our own, not the US. So the blame is squarely on our own shoulders.

The US, in its own turn is a spent force, a mere shadow of its former self and a power is deep and steep decline, not able to sustain its own status quo for much longer.

The US’s problems at the top level are very similar to our own, namely, A CORRUPT and Rotten to the Core, Trecherous, Insincere, Exploitative and Manipulative POWER ELITE that considers itself ENTITLED to privilege at everyone else’s cost.

The people of the United States (amongst whom I lived for 25 years), for the vast majority of them (like the majority of Pakistanis) are hardworking, simple, sincere, generous, compassionate, honest and friendly, albeit a bit naive.

…SR

By: Aamir Shah

Aamir Shah — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:06:29 +0000

Comment:
Have 2 issues to discuss.
1. Solution for Afghanistan. It is no different today then it was when the Russians retreated from Afghanistan. The solution is
a) Withdrawl of all foreign forces from Afghanistan. The will of the People can not be suppressed. Vietnam taught us this lesson. Lets not forget it.
b) a $50B Reconstruction Fund for Afghanistan to De-Weponize, De-Mine, and formation of a government of National Unity with proportional representation from all Tribes and ethnic groups of Afghanistan. A master plan for the development of the country Not according to the Western Ways but incorporating the age old methodology of doing things with 21st century tools. THIS WAS THE PLAN WE THE USA DID NOT IMPLEMENT AND SUFFERED DUE TO OUR SHORT SIGHTEDNESS. UNFORTUNATELY THE PRICE FOR THIS HAS RISEN MANY FOLDS BUT WE SHOULD STILL DO THE RIGHT THING.
c) A OIC sponsored Peace Corp under a 5 year mandate to insure smooth transition of government.
d) A decentralized government along the lines of what Zahir Shah had.
e) a Peaced treaty with all its neighbors to renounce War, and aceptance of the present boundries of Afghanistan. i.e. make Afghanistan an Austria of Central Asia.

As to Pakistan. In the words of Quaid I Azam, “God has given us a beautiful country full of resources, let it not be said that we did not live up to the task”.

We need to come up with a restructuring plan a) Be willing to eat grass and become self sufficent (90% of Pakistan is willing, only 5% elite do not, they do not count any way). Reduce dependace on Aid and Import of Luxury goods, and be willing to live within our means.
b) People (Manpower) in the biggest Asset why not a Reconstrcution Corp and use the man management skills and start rebuilding the infrastructure, education and health systems. America did some of it after the Great Depression.
c) 2 year National Service for all, to discipline the people reduce un employment, and put the educate, the Doctors and Engineers to work.

Believe you me it has a snow ball effect the momemtum builds up and its all up and up from there.