American efforts to boost India

Pakistan OBSERVER, Tue, Nov,06, 2007.

Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema
 

Recently a senior American official has categorically stated that in the long term perspective India is more important ally for Washington than Pakistan. This is no surprise for anyone who understands the dynamics of international politics. India is not only a large country with rapidly growing economy but it is next door to China. To build India as a bulwark against China is too well known pursuit of the Americans. Besides, this is not a new strategy. It has been the quest of the American since end of Second World War. 

Following the end of the Second World War the world was bipolarized into two camps led by both the US and the Soviet Union. The Americans led cold war alliance system was engaged in securing the alliance partnership with many countries. In South Asia the Americans were keen to get India in its fold but the Indians refused to be part of the American sponsored Cold War alliance system. India opted for non-alignment and refused to be part of the American led alliance system.

When Pakistan opted to join the American devised Cold War alliance system, the Indians objected to it despite the fact that the Mutual Defense Assistance Treaty was simultaneously offered to India as well. In fact the Indian government led a systematic campaign against Pakistan’s participation in the alliance. My Nehru spared no forum to subject the proposed alliance to his biting criticism. Even Nehru ordered his own Congress party to organize protests meetings in all of India’s states. 

Cognizant of the implications of officially sponsored demonstrations against the Americans, Nehru began to explain that these demonstrations were only meant to express discontentment against American efforts to arm Pakistan and not against American as such. Nehru, of course, did not confine his anger to merely arousing the wrath of the Indian public but also requested many friendly governments to intercede with Washington in order to stop proposed military aid to Pakistan. 

Aware of the likely impact of arms input to Pakistan, Nehru also employed other tactics to put pressure on US. To begin with he immediately signed a bilateral trade agreement with the Soviet Union containing provisions for heavy machinery and Soviet technical assistance. He also announced the dispatch of engineers to China in order to study flood control methods. These tactics were primarily employed to dissuade the Americans from extending military aid to Pakistan. 

Being deeply engaged in the pursuit of their containment policy, the American went ahead in signing Pakistan in three different alliances. But this does not mean that they abandoned India altogether. In fact they kept the door open and engaged the Indians by giving massive economic assistance. In fact the total amount of economic assistance given to the Indians during the entire Cold War period is far more than what they gave to their alliance partner Pakistan. 

Following the Sino-India border war of 1962 in which India was badly mauled by the Chinese and in consequence the Indians asked for military aid which was promptly provided to the Indians. The Pakistanis objected to this aid and stressed that the American military aid would upset the existing strategic balance in the region. The American President promised that Pakistan would be consulted before a decision to send military aid to India is finalized but the Americans did not consult Pakistan and sent the military aid to India and merely informed the Pakistani. At the time it appeared that the Americans were waiting for an opportunity to hook the Indians in one form or the other. 

Pakistan’s experience with the American association has not been all that pleasant. While Pakistan strictly adhered to alliance partnership and was often ridiculed and referred as ‘more loyal than the king’ and ‘more catholic than the pope’, the Americans did not live up to the expectations of the Pakistanis. Four major let downs are often mentioned in the literature on Pakistan-US relations. 

Compared to American policy towards Pakistan, the US policy towards India has remained somewhat consistent. The main objective was to secure some sort of strategic partnership with the Indians. The end of the Cold War and economic rise of India impressed upon the US to further accelerate their efforts to cement their engagement with India. The American even did not raise any major objection over India’s nuclear weapons acquisition. 

The general belief is that they never wanted Pakistan to become a nuclear weapon state but they were also well aware of India-Pakistan hostile relationship. According to a retired Pakistani official Pakistan have three major disqualifications which are continuously influencing American policies towards Pakistan. These include Pakistan is a Muslim state, it has nuclear weapons and it is a friend of China. 

The recent Indo-US nuclear deal, strengthening of strategic partnership with India, massive investments in India, efforts to secure India a world status all point towards American preferences for India. Undoubtedly India is an important large country with its own global ambitions but in all probability it is unlikely to play the Americans fiddle. But it does make sense to enjoy the benefits of American association. 

The recent American assertions that India is seen a power with global reach and it matters more than Pakistan is understandable. Pakistan’s importance stems from its role in war against terrorism. The American official stressed that ‘Pakistan’s leading role in the US led against terrorism does not affect India’s strategic significance as a long term US ally’. 

Similar words were repeatedly and periodically uttered once Pakistan joined the American alliance against terrorism that this time the relationships are going to be long term relationships. However one gets a totally different impression when one scrutinizes the frequent American accusations that Pakistan is not doing enough. An objective analysis clearly indicate that such blames are the product of American/NATO’s inability to control Afghanistan or even make substantive headway in terms of economic development in Afghanistan. 

Three times the Pakistanis have been associated with the Americans in some form of alliance involvement against a common threat and each time eventually the Americans promptly let down the Pakistanis and managed to extricate themselves in one form or the other. These associations include the Cold War defense alliances, the War against the Soviets when they invaded Afghanistan and the ongoing war on terror. Each time when the Americans wanted to get out of their commitments, they initiate a systematic campaign against Pakistan that more or less based on that Pakistan is not fulfilling its part of the bargain and each time the military assistance is over projected but they never highlight their own shortcomings. 

Most people in Pakistan distrust the Americans because of their past record. Following the tragic events of 9/11 and the consequential war against terrorism which is viewed by many in Islamic world as a war against Islamic world has further strengthened the belief among many Pakistanis that the Americans do not like to see Pakistan prosper and would prefer to have it deprived of its nuclear assets if possible. The recent statement is likely to add more to already existing anti-American feelings.

The writer works for Islamabad Policy research Institute.