The Economist - Pakistan and America Making up (an article following re-opening of NATO supply route

Petrolhead

Minister (2k+ posts)
Pakistan and America

Making up

Jul 4th 2012, 14:35 by The Economist online



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AFTER seven months of bitter haggling, the word sorry has at last been uttered in Washington. That allows Pakistan to begin to restore its ties with America, after they were strainedalmost to breakingfollowing the deaths, in November, of 24 Pakistani soldiers manning a post on the Afghan border. American aircraft killed the soldiers in a dreadful, and confusing, friendly fire incident. In retaliation, Pakistan stopped the transport across its territory of supplies for NATO forces in land-locked Afghanistan. That added at least $100m a month to the cost of that war, as the coalition turned to a much longer resupply route through central Asia.
Islamabad had demanded an apology and new terms for its alliance with America. Pakistans armed forces even suggested that the border deaths had been deliberate at some level. But, after raising the stakes for itself, Pakistan managed to get surprisingly little out of the deal announced on July 3rd.
American officials had offered to say sorry back in February, and it is unclear what, if anything, changed in the subsequent months of talks. The apology itself sounds rather mealy-mouthed. Americas reluctance to apologise fully, in turn, is because of continued operations by Afghan insurgents, from Pakistani soil, who attack and kill NATO soldiers.
Pakistan dropped a plan for a transit tax (initially it sought $5,000 per lorry) on NATO supplies, which had in effect been given free passage since the Afghan war began in 2001. Now officials emphasise that what matters is not financial gains but the issue of sovereignty. Yet that leaves unclear just why Pakistan haggled for months about the money.
America will however release over $1 billion in reimbursements owed to Pakistan for the costs of military operations along the Afghan border, boosting the countrys anaemic budget. America is also likely to support a new IMF loan programme for Pakistan. However, a demand for an end to missile strikes by unmanned American drone aircraft in Pakistans tribal areas is unlikely to be met.
It is possible that Pakistan submitted to decisive pressure behind the scenes. Some American officials want to pronounce as terrorist groups the Haqqani network, a fearsome Afghan insurgent outfit, and Jamat-ud-Dawa, an India-focused Islamic extremist organisation. Both of these are comfortably based on Pakistani soil, which would make the country an official harbourer of terrorists.
The recent capture, in India, of an alleged militant who was apparently present in a Karachi control room, to help direct the devastating 2008 terrorist attack in the Indian city of Mumbai, may also have had an influence. Pakistan would much prefer to keep America as its ostensible ally, rather than a declared enemy.


Source: http://www.economist.com/blogs/bany...merica?scode=3d26b0b17065c2cf29c06c010184c684
 

Unicorn

Banned
Yes they did make up and I will dedicate this to their relation and hope its Magical with lot of fireworks and spark::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 
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haqiqath

Senator (1k+ posts)
No peace dollars thirst usa the most cunning wicked nation just doing appologise on killing 24 soldiers for their own benefits is the worst misery of pakistani nation till complete cutt of nato supply completely stopping drone attacks putting heavy taxes on nato supplies with clear accountability the money used on the pakistani nation rather then going in corrupt people pockets destroying integrity and sovereginity of pakistan daily bomb blasts rockets suicide attacks corruption internal terrorism is not ONLY problem there is no rule of law in pakistan the same one law for all and no implementation of court orders IN JOBS BUSINESS ITS HARD TO BUY EXPENSIVE THINGS IN PAKISTAN VERY EASY IF U BECOME POLITICIAN CORRUPT OFFICER OR PART OF MAFIA CRIME WORLD ANY EXPeNSIVE THINGS>MAALAy MUFaT DILAY BAI REHAM CORRUPTION ZINDABAD SHOW OFF IN TODAY'S MATERIALISTIC WORLD NOT BIG DEAL.sood,rishwat,haram aglay ka haq marna aam hojai zalim ka saat dAina THAB HE AZAB NAHI TAL THAY KAM CHOR PAKISTANIOS PAR zalzala sailab.LONG LIVE PAK MOLA REHAM KAR IN MAAL K PYASO se NIJAAT DILA.
 

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