Pakistan has enjoyed decades of global indulgence, especially from the West, and particularly from the Anglo-Saxon world thanks to historical and geopolitical quirks.
The West therefore bears some culpability for building up Pakistan’s terror industry. The Islamic world is way ahead of the West in recognizing the dangers posed by Pakistan to themselves. China too, despite its master-client relationship has shown signs of uneasiness with the trajectory of the Pakistani state (Chinese workers and engineers have been attacked by terror groups there).
The United States has provided Pakistan with substantial financial aid - nearly $78.3 billion between 1948 and 2016 - making it one of the largest recipients of U.S. assistance.
This insane largesse was meant to promote regional stability and counterterrorism efforts.
The results are plain for all to see. Not only is the region a hotbed of instability. The fact that we found Osama Bin Laden hiding out in Abbottobad, just a stone’s throw away from Pakistani military and government agency HQs, is something out of an absurd comedy sketch.
This is like spending billions in education only to see US students’ reading and math scores plummet. Or increasing healthcare spending only to see chronic disease rates steadily climb while lifespans shrink.
Defence trade between US and Pakistan has been furnished since 9/11 to the tune of $20 billion. We’re talking fighter jets (F-16s), missile frigates and attack helicopters.
Why is our foreign policy like the titanic, unable to change course from its Cold War trajectory?
The calls for equivalency between India and Pakistan once again just glosses over this fact: Pakistani-origin terrorism is a problem not just for India but globally as well, and it is financed and abetted by the state which is financed and abetted by the West.