'Pakistan is now China's vassal': Ex-Pentagon officer exposes Pak's terror outfits & Imran Khan's Opposition crackdown

Even as Pakistan PM Imran Khan and POTUS Donald Trump continue to make controversies in maiden visit of Khan to US, an ex-Pentagon official, Michael Rubin has warned United States against falling prey to Pakistan's latest bid to revive relations. He has stated that South Asian country's Prime Minister Imran Khan did t seek a new partnership, but aimed at continuing a pattern of duplicity. He has highlighted Pakistan's role in Pulwama terror attack and has also spoke about China's p[persecution of Uighuyr muslims. 

In an editorial written for an American magazine, National Interest, he said that Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan hopes that his visit to White House today will jumpstart relations with United States after years of tension. Within US political context, President Donald Trump is a polarising figure and his political opponents usually blame him exclusively for all ills on international st. When it comes to Pakistan, however, y should t. Pakistan's problems are me in Pakistan and Trump should continue recent bipartisan consensus to hold Islamab responsible," Rubin stated.

RE: 'Meme or Prophecy?': Imran Khan promises World-class Pakistan Cricket team, gets trolled

He n charted course of US-Pakistan relationship, which saw Islamab become a US ally shortly after its creation in 1947 "largely because Jawaharlal Nehru rejected US partnership." "As India drifted closer to Soviet Union, Pakistan grew in US strategic calculations. Between 1954 and 1965, Pakistan received more than USD one billion in arms sales and defence assistance, a huge amount for time. Cooperation only increased after Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It was t long until Pakistan became third-largest US aid recipient, after Israel and Egypt," Rubin ded.

American Enterprise Institute's resident scholar, however, highlighted that despite close cooperation with Washington, Pakistan grew fiercely anti-American. He listed Pakistan's nuclear ambitions as one of reasons. "Pakistan has a knack for always labelling India aggressor even when Pakistan -- or terrorists it shelters and funds -- start wars. When war between Pakistan and India erupted in 1965 and again in 1971, Pakistan demanded United States come to its aid. Washington inste chose neutrality and placed an arms embargo on both sides. Pakistani leers saw this as betrayal since India was larger and h greater resources. bitterness of that time colours Pakistani anti-Americanism today," Rubin wrote.

"Pakistan's nuclear ambitions contributed to tension. Pakistan initiated its nuclear program in 1955 and participated in Eisenhower ministration's "Atoms for Peace" program. A dece later Pakistan inaugurated her first nuclear reactor with US assistance. Pakistani leers long kept ir desire to acquire nuclear weapons private but that changed in 1965," he stated.

"Pakistan's overt drive toward and later acquisition of nuclear weapons led to periodic imposition of US sanctions suspended or lifted only when Washington needed something from Islamab. This reinforced perception among Pakistani officials and broer society that United States was a fair-wear friend and a selfish partner," scholar and former Pentagon official said.

"After September 11, 2001, terror attacks, United States needed Pakistan desperately. On September 22, 2001, Bush waived nuclear sanctions and declared Pakistan "America's closest n-NATO ally." Former president Pervez Musharraf publicly pledged to "unstinted cooperation" to United States in fight against terrorism but, privately, Pakistan continued its support for Taliban," he ded.

RE: FINALLY, PAK MITS: 'ISI knew where Osama Bin Len was,' reveals Imran Khan after 8 years of Pakistan's lies

"Simply put, eliminating Taliban was t a Pakistani objective and, at best, Islamab was agstic on Al Qaeda. Musharraf partnered with United States for four reasons: security, ecomic revival, safety of nuclear and missile assets, and hope that United States would support Pakistan on Kashmir dispute," Rubin stated, ting that Pakistan's double-game on terror spelt dely for United States. It also destabilizes South Asia and risks catalyzing Pakistan's descent into state failure. He also outlined Pakistan's sponsorship of terrorism.

" US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) has declared that 143 Pakistan-based individuals or organizations were guilty of engaging in terror activity. State Department terror lists are populated with Pakistan-based or supported groups, even if diplomatic considerations obscure mention of Pakistan in many of ir profiles. Almost two thousand American servicemen have died in Afghanistan as a result of Taliban attacks and, by extension, Pakistani actions. In short, this has put Pakistan on same level as -- or even a level above -- Iran when it comes to responsibility for deaths of American servicemen. That alone is reason t to forgive Pakistan or buy into fiction that Pakistani authorities are t culpable," Rubin warned.

"r should Congress or White House do anything to obscure Pakistan's aggression by proxy toward India and Afghanistan. This year Pakistani-backed terrorists have taken ir terrorism to a new level. On January 22, 2019, Taliban terrorists -- supported by Pakistan -- attacked an Afghan army camp in Wardak and killed more than 120 people," he ded.

He also mentioned ghastly February 14 Pulwama terror attack, which claimed lives of over 40 CRPF personnel.

"In February 2019, a member of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist group attacked a police convoy in Pulwama, Indian Kashmir, killing forty people. In just past three years, re have been at least seven major attacks on Indian targets by Pakistan-based terrorists. Certainly, Pakistani groups have repeatedly promised to crack down on terrorism, but record is clear: y lie," Rubin elaborated.

"Prominent ministers and allies of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as well as his bror Shehbaz Sharif, openly rallied with banned militants. While Trump may praise Pakistan's recent arrest of mastermind of Mumbai terror attacks, he igres that Pakistani authorities have repeatedly arrested Hafiz Saeed -- and always released him once spotlight moved on," former Pentagon official pointed out.

"As United States prepares to cut-and-run from Afghanistan, Trump and his allies may believe that w is time to reset relations with Pakistan. y are wrong. Under Imran Khan, Pakistan has continued its move to become an instrument of Chinese strategic policies. Successive Pakistani leers have fallen victim to China's debt trap. Thus, even if Khan wished to chart an independent course, it would have been impossible for him to do so," he ted.

Rubin also outlined Pakistan's silence on Chinese crackdown on Uighur Muslims.

He said, " simple fact, however, is that Khan willingly casts his lot with Beijing. Gwar Port today is solidly among China's "string of pearls." For all his cynical embrace of Islam as a political tool rar than a deep faith, Pakistan has t only remained quiet on China's mass-incarceration of its Uighur population into concentration and "re-education" camps but also endorsed China's strategy at United Nations."

"Pakistan's recent crackdown on army officials on spurious corruption and or charges have less to do with countering country and military's endemic corruption and more to do with a People's Liberation Army-directed purge of pro-American elements within Pakistan's army. This undertaking was designed to make Pakistani military more acceptable for long-term Chinese partnership.

Simply put, Pakistan is w China's vassal, and Khan is President Xi Jinping's jester," he said.

He furr highlighted how Khan continues to fan an anti-American narrative in Pakistan.

"Perhaps Khan feels he has choice but to kowtow to China. That simply shows his and Pakistan's weakness. But, Khan h a choice about wher to encour or discour anti-Americans, and he chose to fan its flames. He has encourd a consistent anti-American im in Pakistan, and Pakistani government and officials continue to suggest United States is "anti-Islamic" even as Pakistan receives billions of dollars in US aid. Recent attacks by Pakistan's proxies in Afghanistan show that Islamab is t simply anti-American in rhetoric, but also in action. Khan may relish what a photo-op in Oval Office might do for foreign investment, but he should recognize that what condemns Pakistan to its current plight is its continued use terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy," Rubin stated.

Rubin n observed that Khan's meeting with US President should be seen in same light as those with rth Korea, Turkey and Russia.

"Trump has reversed deces of diplomatic practice by putting summits with versarial leers ahe of diplomatic progress. Khan's visit, refore, should be seen in same light as Trump's meetings with rth Korean leer Kim Jong-un, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Russian President Vlimir Putin. That's unfortunate, but greater danger is that Trump and State Department take Khan at his word or put wishful thinking ahe of reality. Khan seeks t a new partnership, but to continue a pattern of duplicity, cost of which can be counted in billions of dollars of wasted aid, Chinese backslapping, and American body bags," he lastly wrote.

(with ANI inputs)