Pressure on Pakistan test of Trump Afghan strategy
U.S. seeks elimination of sanctuary for Taliban through cuts in aid
The Trump administration’s strategy for ending the war in Afghanistan and defeating terror groups in the region faces its first major test in its confrontation with Pakistan.
In a tweet this week, President Trump said Pakistan’s government has played the United States for “fools” and received nothing but “lies & deceit” in return for $33 billion in aid over the past 15 years.
On Thursday the administration said it was suspending security assistance to Pakistan, including $255 million in military aid this year.
Putting pressure on Pakistan’s government to change its policies toward Afghanistan is central to the Trump administration’s strategy, announced in August, to stabilize the region and bring an end to America’s longest war.
Pakistan is considered critical because its links to the Taliban insurgents fighting the U.S.-backed Afghan gov- ernment could help convince the militants to reach a political reconciliation.
“The senior (Taliban) leadership still resides in Pakistan,” said Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. He said the U.S. military would like to see the Pakistanis eliminate the Taliban’s sanctuary across the Afghan border.
“We have got to see movement on this reduction of sanctuary and support for those insurgents and terrorists operating from Pakistan who are attacking our forces and our coalition diplomats and forces, as well as the Afghans, inside this country,” Nicholson said in November.
Pakistan has been frustrating successive administrations since 2001, when U.S. troops ousted the Taliban regime in Afghanistan for providing a safe haven for Osama bin Laden.
Pakistan has refused to cut links with the Taliban and other groups.
Pakistan’s officials “work with us at times, and they also harbor the terrorists that attack our troops in Afghanistan,” said Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
On Thursday, the Trump administration notched up its criticism of Pakistan when the State Department included
Pakistan’s officials “work with us at times, and they also harbor the terrorists that attack our troops in Afghanistan.” Nikki Haley U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
Pakistan on a list of countries that violate religious freedoms.
It’s not clear the threat to cut off funding will be enough to influence Pakistan. The $33 billion Trump referred to represents all U.S. military and economic aid to Pakistan since 2002. The amount of aid to the country has been declining, however, so the United States has less leverage over Pakistan, said Michael O’Hanlon, an analyst at the Brookings Institution.
The $255 million currently being withheld is annual military aid that the United States still provides directly to Pakistan in return for fighting terrorism. The msoney is the most direct leverage the United States has at its disposal.