Oakley speaks out against America's Colonisation of Pakistan

By Majed Iqbal- ‘We've alienated them tremendously. Whether we agree or not" says former US ambassador to Islamabad Robert Oakley. Airing his views on Americas role in Pakistan, Oakley was responding back to a host of views presented by Obama and his team on dealing with this ‘hotspot' in the world which has drew international attention in the last years.



Americas increasing role in Pakistan through the Bush administration and the man of ‘change', Obama, the new President of America who singled out Pakistan in his presidential campaign and within days of coming into office resumed drone attacks has clearly highlighted that Americas next target is Pakistan

"If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will" Said Obama in 2007 outside the Woodrow Wilson Centre in his Presidential run up campaign.

Oakley, who served in Islamabad from 1988 to 92, has criticised Americas approach to Pakistan airing views which present a clear picture of a structured policy to colonise Pakistan.

Oakley criticised the restrictions proposed in a congressional bill on US aid to Pakistan which has been under review for some time. The proposed restrictions require Pakistan to improve its relations with India, whether New Delhi reciprocates those efforts or not. Pakistan also needs to undertake not to support any person or group involved in activities meant to hurt India.

Another proposed requirement will allow US investigators access to individuals suspected of engaging in nuclear proliferation, such as Dr AQ Khan.

‘What we're calling ‘benchmarks' remind them very much of the ‘sanctions' they had hanging over their heads for so many years. The United States has alienated Pakistan by demanding that they divert troops from the Indian border to fight the Taliban" said the former US ambassador to Islamabad.

Ahmed Rashid, a leading Pakistani journalist told a US think-tank, the Jamestown Foundation, that he was ‘absolutely shocked' by the conditions in drafts of the US congressional aid bill to his country.

‘No political government can accept a bill like this in Pakistan, even if it is on its knees -- which it is, economically speaking,' he said.

Oakley has clearly confirmed that America was leading the politics in Pakistan through continuous dictates of what course the country should run.

It was America's decision to get rid for Nawaz Sharif in 1999 believing his presence was not conducive to help America strengthen relations with a new emerging India with the help of Pakistan. It was America who allowed the bloodless coup of Musharraf and for him to further American Interests in the region through his inter-changeable titles of Chief Executive, interim head of state and President and lead on the war on terror as an ‘indispensible ally'

It was America that initiated a new change of direction of Pakistan after growing unrest on the un-popularity of Musharraf which born out of blind subservience to America, by promoting Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto back into the Pakistani political arena under the new ‘deal'.

America once again was behind furthering the cause of democracy through Zardari, a man who was under investigation for corruption charges and who has continued with furthering drone attacks, the displacement of half a million people in Swat and using the Army to kill its own citizens.

Oakley was unhappy with the current Pakistani leadership, particularly the president. They were ‘both incompetent and corrupt and had no clue on the economic side of things.' He said

Oakley, in his interview to the Atlantic Council, also criticised the US drone attacks inside Pakistan. The US, he said, needed to ask itself: ‘Are we creating more terrorists than we're killing?' And the drone attacks, he said, were probably creating more terrorists.........we've pushed the Pakistani army to fight our war and created a huge backlash'

Despite Oakley's outspoken remarks, he is still in favour of containing Pakistan and has merely expressed reservations on strategy and tactics. Obama's administration has still maintained that Pakistan is a key area of American focus and policy which Oakley agrees to.
In a testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mrs Clinton warned that nuclear-armed Pakistan "poses a mortal threat to the security and safety of our country and the world'

Admiral Mullen told NBC news he was concerned about the prospect of both Afghanistan and Pakistan descending into chaos. ‘Pakistan - it's a country that has nuclear weapons. My long-term worry is that descent ... should it continue, gives us the worst possible outcome there,' he said.

In the war of thoughts and ideas, America plans to convince the world that its Pakistan's problems have arisen domestically. However, any keen observer would conclude that foreign Political interference has been the sole key factor that has bought the scenes of chaos and destruction to Pakistan. But America's blinded ambitions in its War on Terror will not secede to this.