WRITING about Pakistan-US ties is like penning literary criticism of a Shakespearean play.
asserted
WRITING → write → play
One constantly reinterprets and looks for new answers to old questions.
asserted
One → reinterpret → questions
How does one evaluate Pak-US ties under President Donald Trump?
asserted
one → evaluate → Trump
Do Trump’s extravagant compliments to Pakistan’s leadership reflect happy relations between the two countries?
asserted
compliments → reflect → countries
American leaders routinely indulge in hyperbole.
asserted
leaders → indulge → hyperbole
Add to it the sales pitch of a marketing ‘genius’, and you get Trump’s effusive but effervescent compliments.
asserted
you → add → compliments
Compared to Joe Biden’s time, US-Pakistan ties have no doubt been elevated, but not upgraded.
asserted
ties → compare → time
The uptick stems from more than Trump’s bonhomie with Pakistan’s leadership.
asserted
uptick → stem → leadership
He is reassessing America’s China policy and relations with Russia, rebalancing ties with traditional allies and partners — to America’s advantage — and deprioritising, though not abandoning, the traditional foreign policy establishment’s overweening ambitions to maintain US global primacy.
asserted
He → reassess → primacy
This foreign policy stems from his whims, with his politics oriented towards the MAGA movement and the rich class, especially tech billionaires; tariffs used as leverage not only for trade but also for geopolitical gain; and a search for greater market share for America, as well as potential investment and business deals with China and Russia.
asserted
politics → stem → China
It has again tried to play its historical role of rescuer in America’s adventures.
asserted
It → try → adventures
It has gained by dramatically enhancing its diplomatic profile in the Middle East and its image in America.
asserted
It → gain → America
Washington appears to appreciate the need to maintain Pakistan’s defence capability for regional stability, especially in South Asia, and to use it as leverage against India.
asserted
Washington → appear → India
Pakistan, a populous country and a nuclear power, occupies an important geostrategic position between the subcontinent, Iran, Arabia, Central Asia, Russia, and China.
asserted
Pakistan → occupy → subcontinent
One makes it a useful partner; the other makes it hard to ignore, much less alienate.
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it → make → ?
Washington wants to contain China’s political and economic profile in Pakistan.
asserted
Washington → want → Pakistan
Alienating it would shut the door on all US influence.
asserted
Alienating → alienate → influence
The US benefits from a tangible relationship with Pakistan.
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US → benefit → Pakistan
America benefits from a tangible relationship with Pakistan in various areas of cooperation.
asserted
America → benefit → cooperation
The Trump administration approved a $686 million upgrade and sustainment package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet.
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administration → approve → fleet
Separately, a $488m foreign military sales contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman for APG-66 and APG-68 radar engineering and technical support, covering 21 countries, including Pakistan.
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contract → award → Pakistan
Pak-US cooperation is also developing in the economic area, mainly in energy, IT, crypto, agriculture, renewable energy, and critical minerals, where Pakistan is drawing attention as a significant source.
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Pakistan → develop → source
The US needs Pakistan’s cooperation to act against transnational terrorists who endanger regional, American, and global security.
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who → need → security
Counterterrorism cooperation thus continues.
asserted
cooperation → continue → ?
Lastly, Washington has always been concerned about a Pakistan-India conflict and will continue to play a crisis management role.
asserted
Washington → continue → role
Behind the veneer of Trump’s rhetoric and personalised foreign policy, however, traditional foreign policy seems to be at work, led by China hawk and pro-India Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which may be circumscribing Pak-US ties.
uncertain
which → seem → ties
Otherwise, how do we explain that neither he, nor the deputy secretary, nor an under-secretary of state has visited Pakistan?
asserted
he → explain → Pakistan
So, is Trump pursuing a dual-track policy, especially regarding the China policy and its derivative India policy, that influences the administration’s approach to Pakistan?
asserted
that → pursue → Pakistan
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted at the ‘real’ China policy when he said in an interview that the relationship with China poses an unprecedented national security challenge.
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relationship → hint → challenge
“China is … the biggest economic threat, and they’re the biggest military threat,” he said.
asserted
he → ’re → ?
The reality is that Trump hasn’t done anything extraordinary for Pakistan that we might fear losing.
uncertain
we → do → that
Much of his freelance foreign policy will likely depart with him, but the impact on Pak-US ties might be minimal.
uncertain
impact → depart → ties
US-Israeli wars in the Middle East have dented America’s standing in the region, providing a fresh rationale for continued engagement with Pakistan in the post-Trump world.
asserted
wars → dent → world
We should keep it that way to safeguard our strategic autonomy.
asserted
We → keep → autonomy
The Aporia
