CSS Pakistan Affairs | US Foreign Policy in South Asia Post-Withdrawal from Afghanistan
The following question of CSS Pakistan Affairs is solved by Waleeja Taj under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches: Miss Iqra Ali and Sir Ammar Hashmir. She learnt how to attempt 20-mark questions 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 question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years.
Outline
1- Introduction
2- Shedding light on the dynamics of Pakistan US relations
3- How has the strategic relevance of Pakistan drastically diminished to US in Post-Withdrawal Era From Afghanistan?
- Lack of cooperation on counter terrorism in Afghanistan: An indifference of US towards Pakistan security
- Pakistan economic fragility limiting its strategic flexibility for US
- China factor and the declining Pakistan US relations
- The Indo- US collaboration and its implications for Pakistan
- The divergent interests of Pakistan and US: limiting the relevance of Pakistan to Washington
3-Critical Analysis
4-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
South Asia has always been a center of attraction for global powers. Its strategic location and human resources attract major powers to maintain their presence and influence. Since the Cold War, the US has maintained supremacy in South Asia to contain the USSR by making alliances. Later, to combat the insurgency of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Due to its strategic location, Pakistan gained leverage, and its relations with the US were at their peak. On the other hand, the fluctuating foreign policy of the US towards South Asia has always made a competing and challenging scenario for US alliances in South Asia, and Pakistan is no exception to it. However, in the post-withdrawal era, the US has shifted its attention to Indo-Pacific to counter China. As the interests of the US changed, its policy towards Pakistan also changed.
Shedding light on the dynamics of Pakistan US relations
Pakistan lacks mutual bilateral relations with the US. Instead, they were always tied to a third party. Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with the US started shortly after inception, when Pakistan joined the US bloc while the US was struggling to contain the USSR. In return, Pakistan got military aid. Later, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the US, along with Pakistan, assisted the Taliban with weapons in Afghanistan to fight against the Soviet Union. Though it was a union for a short period, Pakistan reaped the fruit of its geostrategic location. Similarly, after the 9/11 incident at the Pentagon, Pakistan opted to become a frontline state in the War on Terror initiated by the US against militant groups in Afghanistan. After a long two decades of war in Afghanistan, the US withdrew from Afghanistan. His policies towards South Asia once again took a turn from security-centric to Global Power Competition. Instead of Pakistan, the growing economy and strong military standing made India a favorable ally for the US. Thus, the post-withdrawal era has made a complicated situation for Pakistan.
How does the strategic relevance of Pakistan has drastically diminished to US in Post-Withdrawal Era From Afghanistan
- Lack of cooperation on counter terrorism in Afghanistan
Even though Pakistan and the US committed to fighting actively against terrorism after the 9/11 incident. After the abrupt withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan, the power vacuum created was filled by militants, and the Taliban took over. Unlike before, the US showed no concern about combating terrorism in Afghanistan, which became a haven for terrorists, leaving Pakistan alone. According to International Strategic Studies Islamabad, the number of terrorist strikes in Pakistan increased by a record 51 percent in a single year after the US withdrawal. This asserts the indifference of the US towards Pakistan. The lack of joint training, joint operations, and intelligence sharing has given rise to the unchecked growth of terrorist groups in the region. Thus, in the US, changing foreign policy towards South Asia, Pakistan’s strategic relevance drastically diminished to Washington, which is manifested in a lack of cooperation on counter terrorism.
- Pakistan economic fragility limiting its strategic flexibility for US
Similarly, using the theory of soft power, the US shifted its policies on trade and economic development, seeking alliances in South Asia, mainly in response to counter China’s economic hegemony. Whereas, Pakistan’s grappling economy, poor export and trade imbalance have led the US to bypass Pakistan, not aligning with the new policies of the US. Continuous reliance on Western-led financial institutions also limits Pakistan’s strategic flexibility. For instance, the Trump administration has already suspended US$845 million in multisector funding and has a history of threatening Pakistan to “do more” to avail U.S. goodwill. Thus, the US aid stoppage to Pakistan for its economic stability is an indicator that Pakistan does not align with US policies. Therefore, the economic recession stands as a dilemma for Pakistan’s relevance to the US in the post-withdrawal era.
- China factor and the declining Pakistan relevance
Likewise, the rising influence of China in South Asia is causing great transformation and strategic interests for the US. Owing to the significance of the South Asian region, Washington’s policy of free and open Indo-Pacific, while Beijing’s narrative is to shape geopolitical and economic dynamics of Eurasia to assert its influence. Being a neighbor of an emerging competing Global Power, Pakistan turned to its all-weather friend China in response to being overlooked by the US. The significance of Pakistan-China’s good relations is manifested through the expansion of CPEC under BRI, which will prove to be an economic elixir. Besides, the provision of Chinese aid to the Pakistani nuclear arsenal program is a concern for the US. For instance, the Biden administration launched the ‘US National Security Strategy 2022’, which identified China as a strategic competitor, having the capability to challenge the global order. In this regard, Pakistan’s tilt towards China is looked at as suspicious by the US. Thus, the post-withdrawal era is marked by global shifting dynamics, in which Pakistan has diminished importance to the US.
- The Indo US collaboration and its implications for Pakistan
Furthermore, the post-withdrawal policies of the US are centered on economic development triggered by the rising economic and political influence of China. As always, the US used to remain a hegemon in South Asia; consequently, its rivalry with China is inevitable. On the other side of the coin, India too wants to be a leader in South Asia on behalf of its strong economy and is competing with China. Thus, to serve the objectives of the US, India remains a top choice. Overlooked by the US, Pakistan has been facing the implications of the US tilt towards India, as both are hostile neighbours. For instance, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the US, can be termed a significant alliance. Its underlying concern has been to deal with the challenge of rising China. Thus, through QUAD, they intend to promote democracy and a free and open Indo-Pacific. This clearly mentions that the US policy of countering China creates a security dilemma from the Indian end.
- The divergent interests of Pakistan and US limiting the relevance of Pakistan to Washington
In a similar manner, the divergent interests and perceptions of both the US and Pakistan have also confined the strategic relevance of Pakistan to the US. As far as national interests are concerned, Pakistan’s security interests lie in South Asia, whereas the US has viewed South Asia through the lens of global interests. Moreover, the US perceives China as a competitive power to counter; however, Pakistan has viewed China as a balancing power. Similarly, India is a favorable ally for the US to contain China, but to Pakistan, it is a security concern. Stephen Cohen has noted that Pakistan-US security relations have been asymmetrical in nature, the two countries having divergent interests along with perceptual differences. Thus, both countries have divergent interests and lack mutual bilateral relations on concerns other than Afghanistan. Finally, this poses Pakistan to have confined value in the US post-withdrawal foreign policy towards South Asia.
Critical analysis
Critically evaluating Pakistan’s position to the US is not a dead loss. As its priority is to contain China, while Pakistan has a long-time friend of China, the US opted for India to serve its purpose. In this scenario, Pakistan remained as an option due to its struggling economic conditions, not fulfilling the merit of the US. As Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State in the Bush administration, acknowledged, Pakistan was never important to the US in its own right; it was important because of third parties. This highlights the US’s self-centered intentions, irrespective of the situation in Pakistan. Even though phases of cooperation remained between the US and Pakistan, specifically the War on Terror, at the expense of the lives of thousands of innocent civilians, the US remains ungrateful. Nevertheless, for Pakistan, stabilizing economic conditions, joint initiatives in climate change policies, and the recent mediation efforts to halt the US-Israel-Iran war can leverage the strained asymmetrical diplomatic relations with the US and would enhance its overall strategic relevance to Washington.
Conclusion
All in all, despite Pakistan’s cooperation and being a frontline state in the War on Terror, the US always looked down on Pakistan. Mutual diplomatic ties were not established. mainly because the US viewed Pakistan through the lens of Afghanistan, and partly due to their divergent interests in South Asia. Resultantly, the strategic relevance of Pakistan has drastically diminished to Washington post-withdrawal from Afghanistan. However, the revival of relations is important to counter the growing leadership seeking India, which has always been a powerful rival of Pakistan. On the other hand, Pakistan’s greater inclination towards China also complicates the situation for Pakistan in balancing relations with the US and China. Ultimately, the strategic value of Pakistan must be seen on its own right, as basing its relevance on third states leads to transitory relations; also, Pakistan must focus on its economic development to align with the changing world order.
CSS Solved Past Papers’ Essays
Looking for the last ten years of CSS and PMS Solved Essays and want to know how Sir Kazim’s students write and score the highest marks in the essays’ papers? Then, click on the CSS Solved Essays to start reading them.
CSS Solved Essays
CSS Solved Islamiyat Past Papers
Want to read the last ten years’ Islamiyat Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS Islamiyat coaches having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved Islamiyat
CSS Solved General Science & Ability Past Papers
Want to read the last ten years’ General Science & Ability Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS GSA coachez having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved General Science & Ability
CSS Solved Pakistan Affairs Past Papers
Want to read the last fifteen years’ Pakistan Affairs Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS Pakistan Affairs coaches having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved Pakistan Affairs
CSS Solved Current Affairs Past Papers
Want to read the last fifteen years’ Current Affairs Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS Current Affairs coaches having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved Current Affairs
