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…
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.