Pakistan and US should end alliance: Hussain Haqqani

Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States (US) Hussain Haqqani has said that the US and Pakistan should end their alliance, citing unrealistic expectation in both sides.

While addressing the Centre for the National Interest he said, “If in 65 years, you haven’t been able to find sufficient common ground to live together and you had three separations and four reaffirmations of marriage, and then maybe the better way is to find friendship outside of the marital bond”.

His recommendation that Islamabad and Washington essentially downgrade their status was based on the principle that it may be the only solution to break from what has been a non-adaptive association.

He was of the opinion a post-alliance future would permit both countries to hold more realistic expectations of each other, cooperating where possible but perhaps without the sense of betrayal, which has become severe in the country.

The former envoy while quoting a survey carried out by  Pew Research Centre that showed roughly three-in-four Pakistani think America an enemy, despite the US pours billions of dollars of aid into the country.

He added, “If this was an election campaign, you would advise the senator with these kinds of favorability ratings to pull out of the race, instead of spending more money”.

According to the report, the former ambassador is mulling to publish a book entitled “Magnificent Delusions” next year about the US-Pakistan relationship.

Haqqani’s recent stance represented his previous address in Washington following his resignation as Pakistan’s ambassador to the US.

His numerous comments underlined the abrasion between military and civilian government.

He remarked, “I still think a full proper investigation on the Pakistani side is needed to find out how Osama bin Laden lived in Pakistan and who supported him, within or outside the government. I really do not know (who helped bin Laden). All I am saying is that somebody knew”.

In his view, the army should be under greater civilian control and national interests should be defined by civilian rulers not by military generals.

The bilateral ties between the US and Pakistan have come into full public view since the US raided to kill Osama bin Laden in the garrison town of Abbottabad.

Hussain Haqqani was Pakistan’s ambassador to the US at the time.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=31283

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Aug 23 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.