Discussion on Future of US- Pakistan-India Relations in a Regional Context at GNDU

Amritsar, November 20 ,2014  : "Pakistan's internal troubles have already threatened U.S. security and international peace, and rapidly growing population of nearly two hundred million, expanding nuclear arsenal, political turmoil, entrenched terrorist networks, internal violence and relationships with China and India will continue to draw the attention of U.S. policymakers well into the future.

 There can be no exit from or quick fix for the welter of thorny challenges Pakistan presents.'' said, Daniel S. Markey, Senior Fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), Washington D.C., U.S.A. during a Round Table Discussion on "The Future of U.S.- Pakistan-India Relations in a Regional Context", organized by School of Social Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar on (Nov.17. 2014).

He said that that the bilateral relationship between the United States and China is the driving force behind the Obama administration's "rebalancing" strategy which has prompted a renewed U.S. commitment to regional treaty allies like Japan and it has energized ties between the United States and newer Asian partners, including India." . U.S. ought to include Pakistan in its overall rebalancing strategy for Asia. But for Pakistan, "rebalancing" strategy is already widely interpreted as part and parcel of an impending U.S. abandonment of Pakistan, tilt toward India, and effort to contain China. Markey also held India responsible for having enacted a nuclear liability legislation that blocked the implementation of Indo-U.S. nuclear agreement of 2008.

Daniel Markey, author of famous Book, "No Exit from Pakistan: America's Tortured Relationship with Islamabad" , said that the United States: launch a new diplomatic dialogue with China, India, and Pakistan to reduce prospects for regional tension and violence; sign a trade deal that also encourages trade between India and Pakistan; reallocate assistance in Pakistan to improve trade and transit infrastructure; and integrate Pakistan into East and South Asia policymaking across the U.S. State Department and deemphasize the Af-Pak connection. It concludes with three options for future U.S. strategy, described as defensive insulation, military-first cooperation, and comprehensive cooperation.

U.S. is not retreating, it is only withdrawing from Iraq as well as Afghanistan. It is only retreating politically as U.S. is faced with elections to both the houses of U.S. Congress and next year it is going to have Presidential elections, emphasised Markey.

Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Asstt. Prof. of Political Science moderated the discussion and thanked the distinguished speaker Daniel S. Markey for his valuable talk. He also thanked all the guests and students who participated very actively in the discussion.

(SK Vyas/Jalandhar)

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