Losing power

This refers to your article “US freezes over $-bn military aid to Pakistan over terror inaction” (January 6). It may be recalled that going back to history international politics was once dominated by two major superpowers namely the erstwhile Soviet Union and the US. They benefited both economically and politically by holding divergent approaches to global conflicts. However, with the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991, the US has not exactly benefited either economically or politically as per its anticipations. Pakistan which was once its staunch political ally and purchaser of its arms and ammunition is today being recognised by the US as a terror threat compelling it to rethink its political and defence strategy. The freezing of US military aid to Pakistan is more an act of defence than one of aggression. Further the US feels threatened by a series of countries which are turning nuclear and challenging its own global sovereignty. It is today not just a global superpower but only one of a series of superpowers and cannot afford to take a non-aligned political stance in global conflicts. It also faces its own internal economic problems like increased immigration of foreign citizens affecting its employment requirements. Accordingly, the US has to first exercise internal fiscal prudence to ensure economic self sufficiency before eyeing external commercial and political gains. The benefit to the international community in terms of safety and security is therefore an indirect gain in this regard.

C Gopinath Nair Kochi