The most powerful man in the world thinks it is okay to conduct foreign policy by tweet. Donald Trump does not like to read, so it has been difficult for him to grasp the big picture and the subtle intricacies when it comes to international diplomacy with Pakistan. Then, there has also been the problem of him swinging like a manic pendulum for or against U.S. allies.
This bull-in-the-china-shop approach of bullying and insulting other countries does not work. If the president was trying to alienate every one of our allies, he has been doing a great job.
Although our allies may be smaller and less affluent than the U.S., they deserve respect, not threats like this one from Trump to Pakistan:
‘The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!’
Trump accused Pakistan of providing a safe haven for terrorists. In one of his speeches, the president said:
‘We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond.’
Pakistan’s Minister of Defence [sic] came back hard when he responded to Trump’s tweet. Had 45 talked to a State Department expert on the area, he would have known that Pakistan has provided military bases and intelligence, among many other offerings:
‘Pak as anti-terror ally has given free to US: land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over the last 16 yrs, by they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis.’
Pakistan maintained it has lost 17,000 Pakistanis fighting against militants, in suicide bombings, and in target killings since 2001.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told The Guardian:
‘We have called a cabinet meeting on this issue tomorrow.’
Afghanistan’s Washington D.C. ambassador Hamdullah Mohib tweeted that Trump’s tweet was:
‘(A) promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long.’
Just two and one-half months ago, Trump was hot to build better relationships with Pakistan.
‘Starting to develop a much better relationship with Pakistan and its leaders. I want to thank them for their cooperation on many fronts.’
One Afghani man had a different take than Trump. He said:
‘Since you Americans, like always, want Pakistan to fight your enemies aka Haqqani Network for you, I had a question for you: When are you gonna fight them?’
In November, Trump condemned Pakistan for releasing Hafiz Saeed, whom the U.S.  had accused of being the leader in a 2008 Mumbai attack, which killed 166 people in India’s financial district.
Trump told Pakistan to handle terrorism within its borders or no $255 million in aid money this year. The Pakistani military captured a Taliban-linked Haqqani network militant after refusing to let the U.S. get him and pick his brain. Pakistan also rescued a Canadian-American couple who had been held by the terrorist group for five years.
VP Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Afghanistan last month. There, he said Trump was putting Pakistan on notice for supporting Taliban insurgents. The Pakistani military denied they were doing so.
An analyst based in Islamabad, Zahid Husain told the Guardian:
‘America’s stance is clear and it will deteriorate relations further, the US is shifting blame of its failures in Afghanistan on Pakistan.’
Is it possible that Trump does not know that Pakistan has nuclear capabilities?
Featured Image via Getty Images/Alex Wong.
