Trump’s Tweet

Pravin Sawhney

The stoppage of USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for 2018 within hours of US President Donald Trump’s tweet-threat to Pakistan is water off duck’s back. In 2010, the US military aid to Pakistan was USD1.24 billion; it came down dramatically in 2011 when Osama bin Laden was found and killed in Pakistan; and it was measly USD316 million in 2016. All this happened quietly through official channels. So, what was the Trump bluster about?

To be sure, we have not heard the last on US relations with Pakistan. There is no Afghanistan solution without Pakistan’s involvement. With China having accelerated its involvement with the recently held trilateral with Afghanistan and Pakistan, the US, if it severs functional ties with Pakistan, would be compelled to hand-over the Afghanistan trophy to China, leading to the realisation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor’s (CPEC’s) extension to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics. Moreover, once the Taliban come to power in Afghanistan – on their own or through power sharing with the Afghanistan regime – they are likely to accept the One Belt One Road (OBOR) on their territory. The US will not be there since the Taliban have repeatedly made the eviction of all foreign forces from Afghanistan their condition for peace.

The purpose of Trump’s tweet, therefore, was perhaps to demonstrate solidarity with India on Pakistan-backed terrorism with twin purpose. One, to encourage bilateral talks between India and Pakistan to reduce chances of nuclear war and arms race between them; and two, to ensure success in the coming two-plus-two dialogue between India and the US.

The theatrics of Trump’s action and Paki