Thanks, but no thanks. Mr Trump

Though Mr Trump with his showmanship style of unequivocal speech used to utter total nonsense with remarkable conviction yet at Arlington he appeared composed, well-rehearsed and presidential. The reason behind newly found composure was not his seriousness to presidential duties rather mounting pressure on home front particularly spiraling aftermath of Charlottesville incident. In last week his approval ratings plummeted to 28% which also has to do with his bullying of media particularly CNN whom her refers to as Counterfeit News Network. He continues to sack his handpicked cabinet members or they continue to resign from respective jobs. Russian hacking continues to factor in his election campaign of last year. Dwindling economy, high unemployment and inflation rates have been a thorn in his side. On foreign front, once sole superpower of the world, US continues to lose power mileage against China and Russia. Amid these whirling issues, Mr Trump needed auspicious platform like Arlington to connect with his men and women in uniform. He needed to re-assure American people that he was not only a compulsive 'tweeter' but he was also capable of taking on some serious business of statesmanship. 

In South-Asia, Donald Trump’s Afghan policy speech at Fort Myer was eagerly awaited, keenly heard and intensely discussed. Most of our analytical conjecturing missed out on the chaotic background of the speech. Our pundits registered few catch phrases and started cooking their evening broth. Anchors and analysts had another good payday. Opposition lashed at the ruling party and ruling party resorted to its favorite sport on such matters i.e doing nothing. 

 Trump’s speech brought nothing new for Pakistan, Afghanistan or India. Since he did not have the guts to say that he had no choice except continuation of Obama Policy in South-Asia, he resorted to his very own intimidating manner which rose false alarm bells in Pakistan. He mentioned no immediate withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan which is continuation of Obama Policy. He gave big brother role to India in the region which is continuation of Obama Policy. He asked Pakistan to do more which is continuation of Obama Policy. In the same speech, whereas Mr Trump blamed Pakistan for harboring Taliban, quite ironically, he hinted to include the same Taliban in formation of government in Kabul, this paradox is also continuation of Obama Policy. He acknowledged sufferings of Pakistani people and threatened to stop American aid to Pakistan which is again continuation of Obama Policy.In the end, it was the same old Obama wine bottled at Trump Towers.

Let’s take stock of Pak-US relations through time. There is nothing to take stock of. There was no relation. Multiple failed marriages of inconvenience between the two states were always necessitated by US interests in the region. Presently, again US does not require Pakistan’s services anymore, so it resorted to same old ‘do more’.

Yes, nothing has changed in US Policy in the region. It does not mean we should never try or stop trying to improve our image across the board. We miserably failed on diplomatic front because for the past four years we had larger than life Mr Nawaz Sharif as our Foreign Minister. While Indians were pulling strings through their business community, notables, Indian-American legislators and lobbyists in Washington, Mr Nawaz Sharif was doing them a great favor, he was busy doing nothing at all. The way he was losing his throat over his abdication from the throne, even one tenth of that energy spent on generating diplomatic goodwill could have done wonders for Pakistan. There is no harm in generating goodwill among comity of nations. Our exports have taken a nosedive. There is no harm in expanding economic relations with other nations.

One last thing on speech, ‘Thanks, but no thanks’, Mr Trump, both literally and figuratively.

Literally, thanks that you made American aid conditional and apparently impossible for Pakistan but no thanks figuratively that we don’t really need your blood dollars. And this is not a reactive thanks rather joyful and gracious thanks. Look at the casualty table and American aid graph over the years.

Flow of Blood Dollars from US to Pakistan over the years

Terrorism related casualties in Pakistan over the years

Terrorism related casualties in Pakistan are directly proportional to the amount of dollars we received from US. In 2009-10 highest amount of American aid was given to Pakistan and now look at casualties in the same years, the highest ever. Has aid of any kind ever changed the fate of a nation? Not in known history.   

No country on God’s earth has fought terrorism the way we have fought. No country on God’s earth has quelled the magnitude of terrorism that we have single handedly quashed. No country on God’s earth has given more life toll than us. No country on God’s earth is ruled by inept nincompoops like our rulers yet the nation perseveres with resilience.

In simple words, after Trump's speech there is hardly any change in US policy towards South Asia except cessation of blood dollars' aid to Pakistan which would mean spillage of innocent blood may also cease. However, what needs to change is the way we manage and govern ourselves. The way we diplomatically move. The way we economically grow.

Only Allah knows the whole Truth.