CSS Pakistan Affairs | Reasons for the US Support for Pakistan During the Cold War
The following question of CSS Current Affairs is solved by Fatima Mushtaq under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches. She learnt how to attempt 20 marks question and essay writing from Sir Syed Kazim Ali, Pakistan’s best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students. This solved past paper question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years, and uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Overview of the Soviet Union and the United States of America Relation during the Cold War
3-How did Soviet Scare’s Reasons Make USA to Support Pakistan During the Cold War
- ✓ Backing the Containment Policy of Communism
- ✓ Keeping an Eye on the Soviet Union in Afghanistan
- ✓ Sharing Anti-Communism Stance and Regional Security
- ✓ Stopping USSR Access to Warm Water Due to Pakistan’s Strategic Location
- ✓ Requiring Military Bases and Intelligence Gathering
- ✓ Maintaining the Balance Relation Between Pakistan and India
4-Critical Analysis
5-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
“After two world wars, the collapse of fascism, nazism, communism, and colonialism, the end of the cold war, humanity has entered a new phase of its history.”
(Hans Kung)
During the Cold War, the USA supported Pakistan due to strategic and geopolitical interests, backed by the Soviet Union’s scare goal. The main aim of the USA was to contain the spread of communism in South Asia as well as to counter Soviet Union influence in the region. Along with it, there were some shared common factors, including anti-communism stance and regional security, economic interests, needs of military bases and intelligence gathering, that motivated both the USA and Pakistan to fight a war against the Soviet Union. Hence, the USA backed Pakistan during the Cold War due to its own interests.
Overview of the Soviet Union and the United States of America Relation during the Cold War
The relationship between the USSR and the USSR has always been conflicted due to their ideological differences. Both indulged in the Cold War, fighting in other countries’ lands. Also, this led to the attack of the USSR on Afghanistan, compelling the USA to accept the position of Pakistan in the eyes of American policymakers due to its geo-strategic location. According to William Campbell, “The most significant aspect of Pakistan’s geo-strategic value for the US was its strategic and geographical position, and Pakistan is one of the “rimland” nations that ring communist core in Asia.” This highlights the importance of Pakistan for the USA, located at the doorstep of Asia. Therefore, the USSR and the USA’s clash of ideologies compelled them to enter into the theatre of the Cold War.
Reasons that The USA support Pakistan During the Cold War
- Backing the Containment Policy of Communism
The USSR and the USA have struggled for world dominance. Both wanted to rule the world and to impose their own ideologies. The USA was a capitalist, and the USSR had a communist ideology. To spread their ideologies throughout the world, they started Cold War on the other countries territories in the form of proxy wars. Korean War and Vietnam War are glaring examples of it. Similarly, for this purpose, the USSR attacked Afghanistan. The USA wanted to prevent the expansion of communism in South Asia and the Middle East. Therefore, the USA supported Pakistan to stop the spread of communist ideology into other regions of the world.
- Keeping an Eye on the Soviet Union in Afghanistan
The USA has wanted to do surveillance of the USSR in Afghanistan. Pakistan shares 2,430 km of its borders with Afghanistan, making it a strategic location for the surveillance of the USSR. For instance, the USA used Peshawar Air Base to conduct U-2 Spy Plane Operation. The USA wanted the dominance of capitalist ideology and feared that if Afghanistan fell to communism, it would have a domino effect, leading to the spread of communism throughout the South Asian region. Thus, the USA supported Pakistan because he wanted to keep an eye on the USSR in Afghanistan.
- Sharing Anti-Communism Stance and Regional Security
Both the USA and Pakistan have shared an anti-communist stance and a desire for regional security. Pakistan’s anti-communist stance aligned with US interests, and its strategic location made it vital for regional security. For instance, after independence, Pakistan’s Foreign Policy was more tilted towards the USA, perusing the capitalist ideology. On the other hand, the USA sought to utilise its strategic position to counter Soviet influence. The US feared that if Pakistan fell to communism, it would have a domino effect, leading to the spread of communism throughout the region. Hence, due to a shared anti-communism stance and for regional security, the USA aided Pakistan.
- Stopping USSR Access to Warm Water due to Pakistan’s Strategic Location
Pakistan’s strategic location has compelled the USA to assist Pakistan to against the USSR. The USSR wanted to access the warm waters of Pakistan because the USSR’s western side had no warm water port and utilised Ukraine’s Sevastopol port for its sea trade route. The coastline along the Arabian Sea of Pakistan provides direct access to the Indian Ocean. According to General (R) Mirza Baig, soviet interest in Pakistan was driven by a desire for warm water ports. This highlights the USSR’s motive so that the USA wanted to block the USSR’s access to warm waters. Moreover, Pakistan’s location made it an important hub for trade between the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. Conclusively, the USA helped Pakistan to block the USSR’s access to warm water.
- Requiring Military Bases and Intelligence Gathering
The USA has required the military bases in Pakistan to contain the influence of the USSR in Afghanistan. The US military bases in Pakistan facilitated intelligence gathering on Soviet military capabilities, missile launches, and nuclear tests. For instance, in 1955, the USA signed an agreement of CENTO with Pakistan, wanting to counter the influence of the USSR. Moreover, the US bases in Pakistan enabled the deployment of early warning systems to detect Soviet missile launches and nuclear tests. Therefore, the USA supported Pakistan owing to gaining the military bases and intelligence gathering to contain the USSR.
- Maintaining the balanced relationship between Pakistan and India
The USA has wanted to maintain the balance between Pakistan and India. Pakistan, being the alliance of the USA, had a chance that India would tilt towards the USSR. The USA didn’t want to lose the world’s largest democracy. Moreover, India had the USSR weapons to create the hegemony in South Asia, and the USA didn’t want to imbalance in the South Asia region. For this purpose, he provided military aid and troops to Pakistan to create a balance between Pakistan and India. According to Robert J. McMahon, “Pakistan had received over 1300 tanks, 400 artillery pieces, and 300 aircraft.” It is evident that the USA wanted to support Pakistan through military aid. Hence, the USA supported Pakistan in keeping its balance in the South Asian region.
Critical Analysis
The USA and the USSR were the key players during the Cold War that had been fighting proxy wars on the other countries’ territories for their ideological survival. According to Bernard Baruch, “Let us not be deceived we are today in the midst of a cold war.” This highlights that the Cold War was prevailing at that time. However, in this regard, the USA supported Pakistan to promote its own interests in the region rather than supporting Pakistan economically, politically, and socially. This is the main reason both country’s relations have always remained disturbed.
Conclusion
Conclusively, the US-Pakistan alliance during the Cold War was driven by Soviet scare, strategic interests, and regional dynamics. The US sought to contain the spread of communism, counter Soviet influence, and advance its strategic interests in the region. The alliance remained strong throughout the Cold War, with both countries cooperating on key issues and events. Hence, the USA supported Pakistan in fostering its own interests and becoming the leader of the world.
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