What do Pakistanis at the heart of the civil-regional war now taking place in that country think of the Obama Administration’s new “Af-Pak” strategy and yesterday’s White House mini-summit with the presidents of the two countries? To find out, we’ve been focusing a good deal of attention of Pakistan’s Frontier Post – aptly named as it is published in Quetta – the capital of Balochistan Province right along the Afghan border.
According to today’s Frontier Post editorial, Pakistanis are tired of American meddling, believe that Washington favors India, and that the U.S. considers Afghans and Pakistanis to be “canon fodder” in the pursuit of its own regional goals.
The Frontier Post editorial says in part:
“This citizenry never takes kindly to the meddling in our internal matters of American lords, nor does it appreciate their categorizing for us the good and bad in our own homes. The citizens of Pakistan reacted with disdain when the top hierarchy of the United States labeled the incumbent Pakistan government as fragile. Pakistanis will not be the least bit swayed now by the about face of Washington’s lords. The common people here don’t give a damn what Americans think about our government. This is how our people feel – and they feel so very intensely. Only this nation’s elites celebrate or feel depressed when a word of appreciation a cry of censure emanates from Washington. ”
“The Americans have catapulted India to the lofty position of a fully-fledged strategic partner as part of their new Af-Pak anti-terrorism strategy, consigning both Afghanistan and Pakistan to the role of foot soldiers and cannon fodder. The people here are greatly worked up and deeply incensed at Washington’s irrational demands on Pakistan, demands that work to India’s obvious immense advantage.”
EDITORIAL
May 7, 2009
Pakistan – The Frontier Post – Home Page (English)
Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State, a ministerial-level public functionary, dutifully seated the heads of state of Afghanistan and Pakistan (the latter a nuclear power), Hamid Karzai and Asif Zardari, on either side of her under the glaring lights of a televised press conference, albeit to the utter shame and consternation of their own compatriots. Karzai and Zardari’s flunkeys and trumpeters are sure to beat their drums over the event and give a hyperbolically favorable spin to their participation in the Washington dialogue. Pakistan’s spin doctors are already out and about claiming that President Zardari is returning home with added confidence – as his Afghan counterpart will be. But that will only soothe his party’s rank and file and those sections of the political and intellectual elite that play ball with them. It will not soothe the surging common citizenry that, though it stands largely disenfranchised under the thumb of an oppressive feudal nobility, has a strong sense of self-respect.
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