Pakistan First: Hillary Clinton, CIA & Pentagon

Two recent news reports (related to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s cautious admonition to Pakistan on latter’s home-grown terrorists, and Pakistan celebrating test-firing of two ballistic missiles on Saturday capable of carrying nuclear warheads) confirm America’s continued reliance on this South Asian country.

For some decades now there has been a general assumption of a two-dimensional US approach in dealing with Pakistan – an occasional public rebuke but full military and financial support. The traditional strong bond that has existed between the CIA/Pentagon and the Pakistan Army and intelligence outfit ISI has now been virtually institutionalized.

The Pentagon/CIA/Pakistan Army/ISI’s close ties have for decades remained unchanged whosoever is the occupant in the White House. This relationship got further strengthened with the USA’s adventurous foreign policies, especially in the past two decades, and the US Administration and the Congress increasing reliance on Pentagon/CIA in the conduct of foreign affairs.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently warned of “severe consequences” if a terror attack against the US would ever be traced back to Pakistan, reports the BBC. But in the same breath “in an interview with CBS television’s 60 Minutes programme, Mrs Clinton said there was now a ‘much better relationship’ between the US and Pakistani governments, militaries and intelligence services.” More here…

(A Pakistani-born US citizen has been charged with an attempted bombing in Times Square in New York a week ago.)

As if to thumb a nose at Clinton, “Pakistan successfully test-fired two ballistic missiles Saturday capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the military said, as the Islamic nation’s leader urged the world to recognize it as a legitimate nuclear power,” reports Associated Press.

“The Shaheen-1 missile has a range of about 400 miles (650 kilometers), while the second Ghaznavi missile could hit targets at a distance of 180 miles (290 kilometers), an army statement said. Both can carry conventional and nuclear warheads.” More here…

The Pentagon/CIA seems to have persuaded the White House that Pakistan remains the best bet when the time comes for disentanglement from Afghanistan. In my earlier post I had mentioned about STRATFOR report that said “the Americans want to leave — and if the price of departure is leaving behind an emboldened Pakistan supporting a militant structure that can target India, the Americans seem fine with making India pay that price.”

But the same militant structure can also find targets elsewhere, including the USA!!! See here…