Farris Ahmad
America is Finally Pressuring Pakistan
Over the last decade, there has been a lingering shadow of doubt about Pakistan’s efforts towards defeating radical Islamic terrorism. Sharing a border with Afghanistan, Pakistan has increasingly become a safe haven for terrorists that have diffused East, as a result of the military offensive by the United States. In 2011, the United States gained intelligence leading to Osama Bin Laden’s death, who was living in Pakistan. Since then, the bond between Pakistan and America has deteriorated, and former President Asif Zardari had come under criticism for his lack of effort towards defeating radical ideologies that gained traction in the northern regions of Pakistan. However, American aid to Pakistan continued during the Bush and Obama administrations, totaling nearly 33 billion dollars. The aid was provided in hopes that Pakistan would become more proactive in fighting terrorists in the country. Unfortunately, the results were less than satisfactory. The lack of pressure by America encouraged Pakistan to maintain the status quo, and continue receiving billions of dollars. In a sharp turn in longstanding policy, President Trump announced he would cut aid to Pakistan until they can definitively prove they are doing enough to stay off the terror watch list, by ending their support for various factions including the Haqqani Network and the Afghan Taliban.
The pressure being placed on Pakistan is critical for the security of the region. Pakistan has a powerful nuclear arsenal, with outdated security measures and protocols protecting their equipment. The risk of these weapons getting into the wrong hands is far too great to passively sit on the sidelines, as previous administrations have. Among the rising terror groups in Pakistan are the Lashkar-e-Taiba, who were responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Basing their motivations on religious ideology, this faction has been vocal in their hate against Israel, India, and the United States. As a result of the pressure by the Trump administration, the Pakistan military has begun confiscating the resources of this network, incrementally dismantling their organization. This is a monumental step in creating a safer Pakistan. Had it not been for the pressure by President Trump, Pakistan would continue enabling these organizations, since they had little reason to resist them.
While condemning Pakistan is a strong first step by President Trump, he must do more to pressure their allies. The Gulf region is a strong supporter of Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia has been accused of funding the Taliban in Pakistan. Islamabad also has very close diplomatic ties with China, a major trading partner. If America isolates Pakistan too much, they will gravitate towards China and the Gulf states. President Trump has threatened to label Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, but this would significantly deteriorate our relationship with the country. Pakistan would simply seek aid from Saudi Arabia, who has not been afraid to fund the Taliban in the region. The regional dynamics make this a very delicate issue, and Trump must tread cautiously to maintain influence in Pakistan. Ideally, Pakistan will become more proactive in defeating the terror organizations in the region, which they have begun to do.
In recent days, Pakistan’s foreign minister has ironically called on the United States to complete construction of a border fence along Afghanistan, to prevent the influx of refugees pouring into the country. The Foreign Minister claims it won’t cost America that much, and the war is costing them much more. While only 10% of the fence has been completed, it has proven to be effective in that area. Unfortunately, the rest of the border is wide open, and the Afghan Taliban has exploited those regions. I believe President Trump should allocate frozen aid towards a border fence, as this will contain the Taliban within Afghanistan, yielding an easier offensive for American military forces, and prevent the diffusion radicals into Pakistan.
The initial steps taken by this administration are much more proactive than the previous, and a serious amount of pressure on Pakistan has already yielded results. Along with cutting aid to Pakistan, the Trump Administration should seriously consider allocating some funds towards completing the fence between Afghanistan and Pakistan, to prevent radical groups from flowing East. Lastly, President Trump should avoid labeling Pakistan as a state sponsor of terror, as this could potentially cause closer ties to Saudi Arabia and China. It is important for the United States to maintain influence in the chaotic region.
The pressure being placed on Pakistan is critical for the security of the region. Pakistan has a powerful nuclear arsenal, with outdated security measures and protocols protecting their equipment. The risk of these weapons getting into the wrong hands is far too great to passively sit on the sidelines, as previous administrations have. Among the rising terror groups in Pakistan are the Lashkar-e-Taiba, who were responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Basing their motivations on religious ideology, this faction has been vocal in their hate against Israel, India, and the United States. As a result of the pressure by the Trump administration, the Pakistan military has begun confiscating the resources of this network, incrementally dismantling their organization. This is a monumental step in creating a safer Pakistan. Had it not been for the pressure by President Trump, Pakistan would continue enabling these organizations, since they had little reason to resist them.
While condemning Pakistan is a strong first step by President Trump, he must do more to pressure their allies. The Gulf region is a strong supporter of Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia has been accused of funding the Taliban in Pakistan. Islamabad also has very close diplomatic ties with China, a major trading partner. If America isolates Pakistan too much, they will gravitate towards China and the Gulf states. President Trump has threatened to label Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, but this would significantly deteriorate our relationship with the country. Pakistan would simply seek aid from Saudi Arabia, who has not been afraid to fund the Taliban in the region. The regional dynamics make this a very delicate issue, and Trump must tread cautiously to maintain influence in Pakistan. Ideally, Pakistan will become more proactive in defeating the terror organizations in the region, which they have begun to do.
In recent days, Pakistan’s foreign minister has ironically called on the United States to complete construction of a border fence along Afghanistan, to prevent the influx of refugees pouring into the country. The Foreign Minister claims it won’t cost America that much, and the war is costing them much more. While only 10% of the fence has been completed, it has proven to be effective in that area. Unfortunately, the rest of the border is wide open, and the Afghan Taliban has exploited those regions. I believe President Trump should allocate frozen aid towards a border fence, as this will contain the Taliban within Afghanistan, yielding an easier offensive for American military forces, and prevent the diffusion radicals into Pakistan.
The initial steps taken by this administration are much more proactive than the previous, and a serious amount of pressure on Pakistan has already yielded results. Along with cutting aid to Pakistan, the Trump Administration should seriously consider allocating some funds towards completing the fence between Afghanistan and Pakistan, to prevent radical groups from flowing East. Lastly, President Trump should avoid labeling Pakistan as a state sponsor of terror, as this could potentially cause closer ties to Saudi Arabia and China. It is important for the United States to maintain influence in the chaotic region.
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