Thursday, September 2, 2021

Leaked Cables Show Growing Differences And Tensions Between The U.S. And Pakistan

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan gives an interview to The Associated Press, in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 16, 2020. President Joe Biden has not spoken yet with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. AP Photo/B.K. Bangash, File  

Politico: U.S. presses Pakistan as Afghan crisis spirals, leaked docs show 

Pakistan’s ambassador questioned reports of Taliban reprisals as U.S. diplomats struggle with refugee arrivals. 

The Biden administration is quietly pressing Pakistan to cooperate on fighting terrorist groups such as ISIS-K and Al Qaeda in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. 

In response, Pakistan — long accused by U.S. officials of aiding the Afghan Taliban — has hinted that Islamabad deserves more public recognition of its role in helping people now fleeing Afghanistan, even as it has downplayed fears of what Taliban rule of the country could mean. 

These exchanges and others, described in emails, sensitive but unclassified cables and other written materials obtained by POLITICO, offer a glimpse into how tensions between Washington and Islamabad linger after two decades of war in Afghanistan. 

They suggest that the two governments are far from lockstep on the road ahead, even now that the United States has pulled its troops from Afghanistan.

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: In the past few days Russian media (which I follow) has detailed the critical role that Pakistan has played in making sure the Taliban were successful in their military campaign to seize Afghanistan this summer. That is why I see U.S. efforts to work with Pakistan to address the crisis in Afghanistan is a waste of time. It is also telling that President Joe Biden has not spoken yet with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. 

On a final note. Since the fall of Kabul the leaks that are now coming out of the US State Department, Pentagon, and the intelligence community have been a flood.

2 comments:

Jac said...

This administration is obviously not understanding anything on everything.

Anonymous said...

"the critical role that Pakistan has played in making sure the Taliban were successful in their military campaign to seize Afghanistan this summer. That is why I see U.S. efforts to work with Pakistan to address the crisis in Afghanistan is a waste of time."

So why did the USG not understand this at some time on the past 20 years?

It should have been understood by the Airlift of Evil and not later than the 1st Battle Swat. Was it ignored and we were going to knuckle Pakistan under through sheer effort? Is or was that feasible, when the US feeds the Pakistani effort? That is one hell of a asymmetry in Pakistan's favor.

Pakistan is not an US ally. Pakistan is the center of gravity.