The current friction with USA after TRUMP's speech indicating downgrading of military and economic ties and even sanctions and military action is a very serious development .
This matter cannot be left to umpires , Army chief or some nonsense politicians like Imran khan , Siraj ul Haq etc speaking on umpires behest and this needs a serious debate as to what should be done from this point onwards.
This is a task of a proper thinktank with senior generals including retired , senior diplomats including retired, senior media people , senior economists , senior politicians and other people of experience and substance , with special input from Pakistani diaspora in USA , europe and Middleeast .
For years USA has been saying that we are not doing their money worth .
It is appropriate for TRUMP to reveal what were the understandings between Musharaf , Zardari , Kiani from Pakistan side so nation can discuss the matter. The amount of 22 billion dollars plus is a big amount and detailed expenditure needs to be revealed to public , since army alone has not been able to handle issues with USA leadership and hence the TRUMP speech , which is warning to involve public of Pakistan so better minds are needed and larger consensus is needed .
It has been suspected by many that war contractors of USA along with their local partners not only gobbled up some part but also deteriorated situation deliberately including Bomb blasts so that war can continue . USA should investigate this impression from their end . There is view of some that Benazir Bhutto was killed by war contractors and non existent event of OBL capture from Abottabad was war contractors contraptions .
Pakistan needs to clarify that Pakistan has some 40 million pashtoons if not not more and cannot possibly be party to throttling the throat of pashtoon Afghan leadership especially since Afghan setup under USA occupation has developed a strong proindian and non pashtoon tilt. Particularly USA has not taken any interest in curtailing proliferating Indian consulates in afghanistan and increasing Iranian influence , both military rivals of Pakistan.
I do not see sense in inciting Pakistan defense council (sunni) demonstrations against USA , or pakistani shia media and journalists inciting public teaching hostile stance against USA and thus paving way for more sidelining of pakistan , ultimately benefiting Iran .
TRUMP too has to realize that we know that having failed in getting Modi to send mercenaries in large number in afghanistan to take casualties he in order to increase work for right wing war contractors is trying to postpone settlement of afghanistan .
The invoking of China and Russia by pakistan at this stage openly will be taken as hostile act by USA , so i do not see a high profile visit of Dumbster new foriegn minister to China , USA as of good use as being too visible , especially when first action is to explain to public what were the understandings with Musharaf , Zardari and Kiani and others later .
Musharaf in my view thoughtlessly , went along with video of OBL post 9/11 idea meant to divert war to Afghanistan , save Saudis from 9/11 blame and to save Bush from investigations and impeachment or resignation .
The PMLN , PTI , JI, umpires and army chief are not understanding the full gravity of situation from relatively less experienced TRUMP .
TRUMP is pushing Pakistan to China lobby even more and this is not good , besides once western powers leave persian gulf and and indian ocean , the attitude of india to Arab countries will be of master slave , the attitude of china to us will be aggressive and dismissive and the attitude of Iran towards pakistan will be of pure enemy type as a whole generation of bigots has been raised since 1979 revolution .
We still have some benefit from USA to obtain in terms of keeping our giant neighbours in check , we have pakistanis in USA .
So a serious approach to USA and a serious approach to Iran and India is needed .
One good thing about TRUMP is that he is not consistent and forgets things , perhaps dementia . TRUMP is unlikely to last beyond March 2018 unless some major USA problem is solved by him and candidates are Israel palestinian issue , North korea issue and Pakistan to put nukes under joint NATO command , their ultimate objective and method of denuclearizing Pakistan .
I see Chinese increasing influence or Russian being needed too often as a prelude to pakistan becoming an "central asian X-Stan" and not a major Islamic world player and therefore do not like Nawaz and PTI and Umpires and Shia dominated foreign policy in Pakistan on this issue .
We must tell USA what we will do and not do , we cannot afford to have another Musharaf , Zardari , imran , or Yahya .
Yahya believe me was popular in newspapers , public , till 16th December 1971 , I can personally testify that.
This is a national issue and national debate is needed .
An article below is about Iranian threat to the region .
A region dominated by China , Russia and Iran on our back is not in interest of independence of Pakistan and dominance of Sunnis islam .
___________________________________________________________________________________
We must wake up to Iran’s dangerous games
I do not wish to sound alarmist, but after piecing the puzzle together I cannot escape the conclusion that Tehran’s mid-to-long term strategy is not only aimed at dominating the region but also targets Makkah and Madinah.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been working toward that goal for many years. Last September, he heaped insults on the Saudi ruling family and attacked its caretaker role over Islam’s holiest sites.
In May this year, Hossein Dehghan, Iran’s defense minister at the time, said: “If the Saudis do anything ignorant, we will leave no area untouched except for Makkah and Madinah.” Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia hit back: “We know that we are a main goal for the Iranian regime. We will not wait until the battle becomes in Saudi Arabia but we will work to have the battle in Iran.”
The Kingdom and its GCC allies are well aware of the ayatollahs’ end game. Their arming and financing of the Houthi rebels in Yemen was to open a military corridor for Iran into Saudi’s southern border. That had to be stopped, which is one of the reasons the Saudi-led coalition was obliged to take action.
I now want to warn GCC leaderships of a growing and perhaps imminent danger posed by Iran to the area’s balance of power. I was forwarded a map the other day which was frankly startling. It shows that Tehran has supremacy over substantial swaths of Iraq and Syria besides its virtual command of Lebanon, and is coordinating with Assad forces to cut a 1,800 km safe route across those countries linking Tehran with Beirut, permitting the regime to supply Hezbollah and its other militias with heavy weapons unimpeded.
The Yemen route denied to Iran by our pilots and our brave young men on the ground, the regime has stealthily been increasing the presence of Islamic Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah fighters in Syria. Meanwhile, Iran’s paramilitary proxies Hashd Al-Shaabi, who number up to 140,000, have been recognized as a legitimate entity by Iraq despite their allegiance to Khamenei, Moqtada Al-Sadr or the Iranian-born Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani in Najaf. They have further been legitimized by the US, whose “military advisers” and special forces are coordinating with them to free areas of northern Iraq from Daesh.
Iran’s belligerence is growing by the day. The world’s greatest state sponsor of terrorism no longer tries to hide behind a friendly mask to quell the international community’s concerns.
On the watch of this “Mr Nice Guy,” Iran’s minorities and opposition groups have been ground underfoot. According to Amnesty International’s latest report, “Ahwazi Arabs, Azerbaijani Turks, Baluchis, Kurds and Turkmen remained subject to entrenched discrimination.”
I hoped that Iranians disillusioned with the 1979 revolution would rise to reclaim their country, but many are too frightened for their lives and liberty. When 3 million Iranians under the umbrella of the Green Movement rose in 2009 to protest against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election, the Obama administration distanced itself. As we now know, Barack Obama was working behind the scenes to secure a nuclear deal and had no appetite for regime change. He courted the ayatollahs with reassuring messages, leaving the courageous people who went to the streets high and dry.
His successor’s policy on Iran is more bluster than substance. There is chaos in the White House and Trump’s foreign policy is an ad hoc mish mash that alters according to his mood or is left to the State Department and the Pentagon.
The $64 question is, can Gulf states rely for our defense on an “America First” US that blows hot and cold with world leaders, including European allies? If the Iranian gangs succeed in penetrating Saudi Arabia, can we expect to see the US cavalry on the horizon? Given that Trump seemed willing to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of Japanese and South Koreans to wipe North Korea off the map after Kim Jong Un’s threat to the US island of Guam, I do not feel reassured.
Neither am I reassured by Iran’s wooing of our friends, Turkey and Qatar, whose people I consider family. On Thursday, Qatar announced it is restoring ties with Iran and returning its ambassador. Turkey and Iran are planning joint military action against Kurdish groups.
Riyadh and its trusted allies should devise a multi-pronged strategy of intelligence sharing, surveillance and missile defense. Iran has been infiltrating Gulf states with spies and sleeper cells for decades aimed at overturning governments. It is time it received a taste of its own medicine.
Countries on the fence should be told to choose sides. Investments should be withdrawn from non-compliant states and diplomatic links severed.
Iran has been handed a free pass for too long. I am no fan of Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, but he understands the danger from Iran to his own country and to the region.
“Bringing Shiites into the Sunni sphere will surely have many serious implications both in regard to refugees and to new terrorist acts,” he said last week. He gets it. My hope is that, before it is too late, our own leaders are as receptive to a potentially devastating scenario unfolding before our eyes.
• Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor is a prominent UAE businessman and public figure. He is renowned for his views on international political affairs, his philanthropic activity, and his efforts to promote peace. He has long acted as an unofficial ambassador for his country abroad.
source : http://www.arabnews.com/node/1151151
This matter cannot be left to umpires , Army chief or some nonsense politicians like Imran khan , Siraj ul Haq etc speaking on umpires behest and this needs a serious debate as to what should be done from this point onwards.
This is a task of a proper thinktank with senior generals including retired , senior diplomats including retired, senior media people , senior economists , senior politicians and other people of experience and substance , with special input from Pakistani diaspora in USA , europe and Middleeast .
For years USA has been saying that we are not doing their money worth .
It is appropriate for TRUMP to reveal what were the understandings between Musharaf , Zardari , Kiani from Pakistan side so nation can discuss the matter. The amount of 22 billion dollars plus is a big amount and detailed expenditure needs to be revealed to public , since army alone has not been able to handle issues with USA leadership and hence the TRUMP speech , which is warning to involve public of Pakistan so better minds are needed and larger consensus is needed .
It has been suspected by many that war contractors of USA along with their local partners not only gobbled up some part but also deteriorated situation deliberately including Bomb blasts so that war can continue . USA should investigate this impression from their end . There is view of some that Benazir Bhutto was killed by war contractors and non existent event of OBL capture from Abottabad was war contractors contraptions .
Pakistan needs to clarify that Pakistan has some 40 million pashtoons if not not more and cannot possibly be party to throttling the throat of pashtoon Afghan leadership especially since Afghan setup under USA occupation has developed a strong proindian and non pashtoon tilt. Particularly USA has not taken any interest in curtailing proliferating Indian consulates in afghanistan and increasing Iranian influence , both military rivals of Pakistan.
I do not see sense in inciting Pakistan defense council (sunni) demonstrations against USA , or pakistani shia media and journalists inciting public teaching hostile stance against USA and thus paving way for more sidelining of pakistan , ultimately benefiting Iran .
TRUMP too has to realize that we know that having failed in getting Modi to send mercenaries in large number in afghanistan to take casualties he in order to increase work for right wing war contractors is trying to postpone settlement of afghanistan .
The invoking of China and Russia by pakistan at this stage openly will be taken as hostile act by USA , so i do not see a high profile visit of Dumbster new foriegn minister to China , USA as of good use as being too visible , especially when first action is to explain to public what were the understandings with Musharaf , Zardari and Kiani and others later .
Musharaf in my view thoughtlessly , went along with video of OBL post 9/11 idea meant to divert war to Afghanistan , save Saudis from 9/11 blame and to save Bush from investigations and impeachment or resignation .
The PMLN , PTI , JI, umpires and army chief are not understanding the full gravity of situation from relatively less experienced TRUMP .
TRUMP is pushing Pakistan to China lobby even more and this is not good , besides once western powers leave persian gulf and and indian ocean , the attitude of india to Arab countries will be of master slave , the attitude of china to us will be aggressive and dismissive and the attitude of Iran towards pakistan will be of pure enemy type as a whole generation of bigots has been raised since 1979 revolution .
We still have some benefit from USA to obtain in terms of keeping our giant neighbours in check , we have pakistanis in USA .
So a serious approach to USA and a serious approach to Iran and India is needed .
One good thing about TRUMP is that he is not consistent and forgets things , perhaps dementia . TRUMP is unlikely to last beyond March 2018 unless some major USA problem is solved by him and candidates are Israel palestinian issue , North korea issue and Pakistan to put nukes under joint NATO command , their ultimate objective and method of denuclearizing Pakistan .
I see Chinese increasing influence or Russian being needed too often as a prelude to pakistan becoming an "central asian X-Stan" and not a major Islamic world player and therefore do not like Nawaz and PTI and Umpires and Shia dominated foreign policy in Pakistan on this issue .
We must tell USA what we will do and not do , we cannot afford to have another Musharaf , Zardari , imran , or Yahya .
Yahya believe me was popular in newspapers , public , till 16th December 1971 , I can personally testify that.
This is a national issue and national debate is needed .
An article below is about Iranian threat to the region .
A region dominated by China , Russia and Iran on our back is not in interest of independence of Pakistan and dominance of Sunnis islam .
___________________________________________________________________________________
We must wake up to Iran’s dangerous games
I do not wish to sound alarmist, but after piecing the puzzle together I cannot escape the conclusion that Tehran’s mid-to-long term strategy is not only aimed at dominating the region but also targets Makkah and Madinah.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been working toward that goal for many years. Last September, he heaped insults on the Saudi ruling family and attacked its caretaker role over Islam’s holiest sites.
In May this year, Hossein Dehghan, Iran’s defense minister at the time, said: “If the Saudis do anything ignorant, we will leave no area untouched except for Makkah and Madinah.” Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia hit back: “We know that we are a main goal for the Iranian regime. We will not wait until the battle becomes in Saudi Arabia but we will work to have the battle in Iran.”
The Kingdom and its GCC allies are well aware of the ayatollahs’ end game. Their arming and financing of the Houthi rebels in Yemen was to open a military corridor for Iran into Saudi’s southern border. That had to be stopped, which is one of the reasons the Saudi-led coalition was obliged to take action.
I now want to warn GCC leaderships of a growing and perhaps imminent danger posed by Iran to the area’s balance of power. I was forwarded a map the other day which was frankly startling. It shows that Tehran has supremacy over substantial swaths of Iraq and Syria besides its virtual command of Lebanon, and is coordinating with Assad forces to cut a 1,800 km safe route across those countries linking Tehran with Beirut, permitting the regime to supply Hezbollah and its other militias with heavy weapons unimpeded.
The Yemen route denied to Iran by our pilots and our brave young men on the ground, the regime has stealthily been increasing the presence of Islamic Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah fighters in Syria. Meanwhile, Iran’s paramilitary proxies Hashd Al-Shaabi, who number up to 140,000, have been recognized as a legitimate entity by Iraq despite their allegiance to Khamenei, Moqtada Al-Sadr or the Iranian-born Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani in Najaf. They have further been legitimized by the US, whose “military advisers” and special forces are coordinating with them to free areas of northern Iraq from Daesh.
Iran’s belligerence is growing by the day. The world’s greatest state sponsor of terrorism no longer tries to hide behind a friendly mask to quell the international community’s concerns.
If left unchecked, Tehran’s drive to the Mediterranean through Iraq and Syria is a threat to the Gulf states.
Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor
In response to Trump’s announcement that he is considering whether to pull America out of the nuclear deal, and the US Treasury’s new round of anti-Iranian economic sanctions, Iran’s so-called moderate President Hassan Rouhani warned that Iran could restart its nuclear program in “a matter of hours.” Is that the same nuclear program Iranian officials always maintained was purely peaceful?Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor
On the watch of this “Mr Nice Guy,” Iran’s minorities and opposition groups have been ground underfoot. According to Amnesty International’s latest report, “Ahwazi Arabs, Azerbaijani Turks, Baluchis, Kurds and Turkmen remained subject to entrenched discrimination.”
I hoped that Iranians disillusioned with the 1979 revolution would rise to reclaim their country, but many are too frightened for their lives and liberty. When 3 million Iranians under the umbrella of the Green Movement rose in 2009 to protest against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election, the Obama administration distanced itself. As we now know, Barack Obama was working behind the scenes to secure a nuclear deal and had no appetite for regime change. He courted the ayatollahs with reassuring messages, leaving the courageous people who went to the streets high and dry.
His successor’s policy on Iran is more bluster than substance. There is chaos in the White House and Trump’s foreign policy is an ad hoc mish mash that alters according to his mood or is left to the State Department and the Pentagon.
The $64 question is, can Gulf states rely for our defense on an “America First” US that blows hot and cold with world leaders, including European allies? If the Iranian gangs succeed in penetrating Saudi Arabia, can we expect to see the US cavalry on the horizon? Given that Trump seemed willing to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of Japanese and South Koreans to wipe North Korea off the map after Kim Jong Un’s threat to the US island of Guam, I do not feel reassured.
Neither am I reassured by Iran’s wooing of our friends, Turkey and Qatar, whose people I consider family. On Thursday, Qatar announced it is restoring ties with Iran and returning its ambassador. Turkey and Iran are planning joint military action against Kurdish groups.
Riyadh and its trusted allies should devise a multi-pronged strategy of intelligence sharing, surveillance and missile defense. Iran has been infiltrating Gulf states with spies and sleeper cells for decades aimed at overturning governments. It is time it received a taste of its own medicine.
Countries on the fence should be told to choose sides. Investments should be withdrawn from non-compliant states and diplomatic links severed.
Iran has been handed a free pass for too long. I am no fan of Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, but he understands the danger from Iran to his own country and to the region.
“Bringing Shiites into the Sunni sphere will surely have many serious implications both in regard to refugees and to new terrorist acts,” he said last week. He gets it. My hope is that, before it is too late, our own leaders are as receptive to a potentially devastating scenario unfolding before our eyes.
• Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor is a prominent UAE businessman and public figure. He is renowned for his views on international political affairs, his philanthropic activity, and his efforts to promote peace. He has long acted as an unofficial ambassador for his country abroad.
source : http://www.arabnews.com/node/1151151
