Pak-Us Strategic Partnership Amidst Conflicting Approaches Towards Militancy (2005-2015)
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PAK-US STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AMIDST CONFLICTING APPROACHES TOWARDS MILITANCY (2005-2015) ASIF SALIM Ph.D (Scholar) DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR SESSION: 2014-15 PAK-US STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AMIDST CONFLICTING APPROACHES TOWARDS MILITANCY (2005-2015) Thesis submitted to the Department of Political Science, University of Peshawar, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN POLITICAL SCIENCE MARCH, 2018 i ABSTRACT International system based on anarchic theories and approaches in which power politics and statism are the basic components which play vital role when states conduct the relations with one another. The power of the state can be appraised through its ability to protect its national interests at any cost. States in relation with equal strength can easily protect their national interests but when the small and big state interests are clashed with each other, double standers and distrust take birth. Pakistan and the US relation is the best example of the realistic ideas in which it can be safely quoted „There is no permanent friendship and enmity. There are interests that decide the faith of friendship and enmity‟. After the partition of subcontinent civil and military leadership deviated from the golden principles of the founder (Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah) and joined the western bloc. America warmly welcomed Pakistan as the US needed partner in South and Southwest Asia and Asia Pacific to counter the spread of communistic ideologies in the region. From the day one the leader ship of Pakistan was not concerned with the communism but interested to acquire economic and military assistance from the US so as to keep balance with India. This is the reason that soon after the 1965 war parting of ways was started, resultantly Islamabad tilted toward Moscow in Bhutto regime. However, entrance of the Soviet forces in Afghanistan once again impelled both the old partners to stand together against the common enemy. Jihadi forces were gathered in Pakistan and billion dollars were pumped for their training and facilitation. Further, latest war technology was also handed over to Pakistan. After ten years of long war Geneva Accord was inked and Red Forces (Soviet Union) were retreated. Ever bad decision, which was accepted by Hilary Clinton, to leave Pakistan at lurch and propagated against the nuclear technology of Pakistan and imposed severe economic sanctions immediately after the end of war; this froze Pak-US relations. After the six years of civil war in Afghanistan the forces of Mujahideen with the title of „Taliban‟ emerged as triumphant and established their government. Once again the tragic incident of 9/11 in New York by the so-called Jihadi organization „Al-Qaida‟ provided an opportunity to the US for rekindling the relations with old partner Pakistan to ensure stability in South Asia and peace in the world by ii countering the emerging threat of terrorism. But from the very first day element of trust deficit was existed. Washington has been rebuffed in its efforts to compel Islamabad to eliminate Pakistan-based sanctuaries of militants who attack the US troops in Afghanistan while Islamabad has struggled to protect those groups with the justification of „strategic assets‟ and only to obtain a variety of coveted prizes from Washington. There is no denial to the fact that Pakistan army started number of operations in tribal areas with the financial support of the US because after 2001 Pakistan was among the world‟s leading recipients of the US aid and obtained billions of dollars under the US assistance including civil and security-related aid and also received reimbursement for its support of the US-led counterterrorism operations. Later on, the incidents such as drone strikes, Ramond Davis case, Osama raid and Salala incident further diluted the partnership of the states. Major factor of trust deficit between the partners is not to care of each other‟s national interests and to work only for their own interests. It is a general perception among the security experts of South Asia that Pakistan‟s proxy strategies will continue in Afghanistan and India unless the US takes concrete steps to resolve the core issues of Pakistan with its neighboring countries. Furthermore, the US approaches towards Pakistan always revolves around military objectives rather than broad based strategic partnership which is enshrined in Pak-US strategic partnership goals. In this partnership the US will cooperate in the different sectors such as to remove energy crisis, work for the uplifting of economic indicators, counterterrorism, defense, strategic stability, and education. Moreover, the US policy-makers should recognize the fact that only a stable, democratic, and economically thriving Pakistan can secure the vital interests of the US in the region without disturbing the balance of power in South Asia. iii PREFACE This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Ph. D degree in Political Science. Prof. Dr. A. Z. Hilali, Ex-Chairman Department of Political Science University of Peshawar is my supervisor for this thesis. The thesis has been made solely by the author; some of the text, however, is based on the research of others, and I have done my best to provide references to these sources. Writing this thesis has been hard but in the process of writing I feel I have learned a lot, and our initial conceptions have certainly changed. I have dealt with a lot of subjects in an attempt to give this thesis a broad perspective on “Pak-US Strategic Partnership Amidst Conflicting Approaches towards Militancy (2005- 2015)”. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS S.No. Topic Page No. Abstract i Preface iii Acknowledgement viii List of Abbreviations x 1. Chapter-1 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem 5 1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Study 6 1.4 Research Questions 6 1.5 Literature Review 6 1.6 Theoretical & Conceptual Outlines 12 1.7 Methodology 16 1.8 Organization of the Study 17 Chapter – 2 20 2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PAKISTAN-US RELATIONS FROM 1947-2001 20 2.1 Introduction 20 2.2 Beginning of the US Role in Asia 20 2.3 Convergence of Pakistan – US Interest 24 2.4 US Neutrality on Kashmir 26 2.5 US tilt in Favor of Pakistan 27 2.6 Signing of Pakistan US Defense Agreement 29 2.7 Beginning of Tension in US-Pakistan Relations 33 2.8 Issue of Pakistan Nuclear Program 37 2.9 Issue of Political Instability 38 2.10 Thaw in US-Pakistan‟s Relations due to Soviet Invasion 39 2.11 Continuing Pakistan‟s Nuclear Program Issue 40 2.12 Pakistan‟s Uncompromising Nuclear Program 41 2.13 Improved US Pakistan Relation 42 2.14 US Tilt towards India 43 2.15 Conclusion 45 Chapter – 3 46 3. PAKISTAN-US SECURITY PARADOX (SEATO-CENTO AN APPRAISAL) 46 3.1 Introduction 46 3.2 Background and Development SEATO 46 3.3 Pakistan Response to SEATO 53 v 3.4 Background of the Baghdad Pact (CENTO) 54 3.5 Benefits of the Alliance 58 3.6 Military/Political Benefits 59 3.7 Economic Benefits 63 3.8 Costs 67 3.9 Political 67 3.10 Indian Reaction Against Western Pacts 77 3.11 Strategic 81 3.12 Economic 82 3.13 Conclusion 83 Chapter – 4 84 4. PAK-US STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AFTER THE INCIDENT OF 9/11 & SECURITY COMPULSION OF PAKISTAN 84 4.1 Introduction 84 4.2 A Security Measurement within Pakistan 85 4.3 Fragile Economy 85 4.4 Religious Extremism and Sectarian Violence 88 4.5 General Zia-Ul-Haq Politics of Islamization 88 4.6 Iranian Revolution 89 4.7 Afghan Jihad 91 4.8 Taliban Reign (1996-2001) 91 4.9 Kashmir Jihad 93 4.10 Regional and International Security Calculations 94 4.11 Falling Into Afghan Policy 94 4.12 Duality in Kashmir Policy 97 4.13 Isolation From US in 1990 98 4.14 Pakistan‟s Nuclear Capability 98 4.15 Safety and Security of Pakistan‟s Nuclear and Missile Assets 100 4.16 Events of 11 September 2001 & Musharraf‟s Response 101 4.17 Conclusion 105 Chapter – 5 107 5. PAKISTAN-US CONFLICTING APPROACHES TO CONTAIN RISING MILITANCY AND FOMENTING INSURGENCIES 107 5.1 Introduction 107 5.2 Pak-US Strategic Partnership and Issues of Financial Aid 108 5.3 Provision of Assistance for Non-Security Purposes 119 5.4 Non-US Economic and Development Assistance to Pakistan 120 5.5 US Publish Diplomacy and Democracy Promotion Efforts 123 5.6 The Downsides of Conditionality (Conditionality Downsides) 123 vi 5.7 The Downsides of the US Support for Individual Pakistani Leaders 125 5.8 Pak-US Marriage of Convenience to Contain Rising Militancy and Fomenting Insurgencies Through Military Operations 126 5.9 Support to Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom Support 131 5.10 Operation Al-Mizan 135 5.11 Operation Zalzala 143 5.12 Operation Sher Dil, Rah-E-Haq, & Rah-E-Rast 148 5.13 Operation Sher-Dil (Lion‟s Heart) 148 5.14 Operation Rah-e-Rast (Path of Truth) 150 5.15 Operation Har-e-Ras (Path of Righteousness) 151 5.16 Other Operations 152 5.17 Efficacy of the Operations 152 5.18 Operation Rah-e-Nijaat 153 5.19 Operation Zarb-e-Azab (2015) 157 5.20 Military Operations‟ Impact on the Security Forces 157 5.21 Conclusion 159 Chapter – 6 161 6. CONVERGENCE AND DIVERGENCE IN PAK-US STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP 161 6.1 Introduction 161 6.2 Convergence in the Interests 163 6.3 Intensions Behind US Intensive Involvement in South Asia 171 6.4 Divergence in Pak-US Interests 175 6.5 Nuclear Developments in Pakistan 176 6.6 Issues of Terrorism 187 6.7 Conclusion 200 Chapter – 7 202 7.