Barack Obama not offering formal apology to Pakistan: New York Times

While the Pakistan pressing America to accept the NATO forces invaded Pakistani check post in Mahmond between the Friday and Saturday night, American Newspaper New York Times reported on Wednesday that the US president Barack Obama
would not offer formal condolences to Pakistan.

According to the New York Times, President Obama will not make any formal condolences and decision was taken after Defence Department officials pressed prior any results of the investigations being carried out in US, it would not
be preferred to offer condolences. Newspaper further reported the quote of Defence Department saying the offering of condolences by the secretary of State is enough, at least until investigation does not reveal the whole scenario.

Republican Party is also seeing this incident in view of their election campaign next year, reported NY times. As unveiled by anonymous sources, there is an air of idea in Washington that if Obama offer formal condolences, it would
be damage their election campaign.

Newspaper further reported with reference of White House official, Obama will not make further statement in the coming days over this incident.

“The U.S. government has offered its deepest condolences for the loss of life, from the White House and from Secretary Clinton and Secretary Panetta,” said Tommy Vietor, spokesman for the National Security Council, referring to
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, “and we are conducting an investigation into the incident. We cannot offer additional comment on the circumstances of the incident until we have the results.”

Pakistan has pressed the America to not only accept their mistake but also make sure to avoid such future attacks, which killed 24 Pakistani Soldiers in Mahmond Agency.

Pakistan summoned Cameron Munter, the United States Ambassador to Pakistan, to record their strong reaction against the attacks. Following this, Munter reported to brief entire situation to higher officials in Washington over videoconference
and informed the damaging relationship likely to follow, if formal condolences are not made.

So far, Pakistan has kept its strong stance, rejecting all American accounts and blocking NATO logistic supplies to Afghanistan, and has also ordered American to vacant Shamsi Air base until December 11. Pakistan has also warned
to boycott an international conference on Afghanistan’s security scheduled next week in Germany.

Over there in America, there is a strong pressure over Barack Obama by the former administrating members regarding making public appearance to brief the entire scenario. Former administration has also urged Obama to present formal
apology.

“Without some effective measures of defusing this issue, Pakistan will cooperate less rather than more with us, and we won’t be able to achieve our goals in Afghanistan,” said Vali Nasr, a former State Department official who specialized
in Pakistan.

But David Rothkopf, a former Clinton administration official and the author of “Running the World: The Inside Story of the National Security Council and the Architects of American Power,” said Pakistani officials need to understand
that in the next year, the Obama administration will be less accommodating to Pakistani sensibilities.

“I do think that it’s important for them to recognize that political dynamics in the United States will lead to a hardening of U.S. positions, and the president will have less and less flexibility to accept the kind of behavior
that he has in the past,” Mr. Rothkopf said. “The prognosis for U.S.-Pakistani relations is bleak.”

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in his address to National Assembly, ordered NATO to vacant Shamsi Air base until December 11. Defence minister Ahmad Mukhtar gave strong reaction.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=5266

Posted by Waqas Munir on Dec 1 2011. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan, Politics, USA, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry