Daily Times

On July 3, 2017, Foreign Policy published an article entitled, ‘Pakistan can’t afford China’s Friendship’ which was authored by an American scholar — Christine Fair. She made a number of arguments, some of which were completely out of context of the developing situation. Her argument made five key assertions; Pakistan is walking into the Chinese hegemonic trap, China is helping Pakistan to ultimately consolidate it’s grip on Indian-claimed territory and the tense Indo-Pak relations will deteriorate further primarily because of China, China will use Gwadar Port as a naval base and may deploy its growing naval force there against India and the US and last but least that Chabahar Port which was jointly developed by Iran and India is more competitive than Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.

Before commenting on Christine’s arguments I have to say that it seems that instead of being an American scholar — she behaves more like a mouthpeice for Indian propaganda. One must respect her opinion but her ‘fairy tales’ leave one with no choice but to refute her biased opinions. Christine Fair is completely unfair in her commentary on Pakistan, China and CPEC.

This article is a direct response to Christine’s article. Christine must realise that a US-Indian alliance is completely against Indian interests. India claims to be one of the proponents of the Bandung Conference of 1955 which later became the foundation of the Non-Aligned Movement. In light of India’s past ‘neutrality’, why and how is India increasingly aligning itself with America? The Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal (2006), Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA -2016) and Malabar Naval Exercises, are among those agreements which have drawn a very prominent Indian leaning. Why India is becoming a front-line American partner in the latter’s Pivot to Asia Policy?

India must keep the following Latin saying in mind, ‘Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes’, meaning ‘I fear the Greeks even when they bring gifts’

Being a scholar of International Relations — Christine Fair would surely be familiar with John Mearsheimer’s assertions in ‘The Tragedy of Great Power Politics’ (2001). Mearsheimer specifically forbade aspiring nations from pursuing power using a strategy known as ‘band-wagoning’. The abovementioned agreements concluded by India are clearly signs of band-wagoning and by the virtue of these agreements — surely India has given up on its hopes of become a great power. Now, India will tow the American line just like Pakistan did in the past. But it is worth mentioning here that Pakistan played a vital role in disintegrating the Soviet Union and successfully offered resistance towards America just after the collapse of Communism. Pakistan victoriously pursued its nuclear program, provided refuge to millions of Afghans in the face of severe sanctions such as the notorious Semmington Amendment.

Now, the question arises; is India capable enough to withstand Chinese economic expansion while continue to oppose China’s Belt and Road Initiative’? The path that India is following these days would ultimately isolate it not only in the region but internationally as well. While learning from historic Pak-US relations — India must keep a Latin saying in mind ‘Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes’ which means ‘I fear the Greeks even when they bring gifts’. America is using India as bait and unlike Pakistan it would be seriously and gravely difficult for India to recover after being used against China and Pakistan. Perhaps Islamabad is fortunate enough that it always gets opportunities one after another but it is not necessary that India might have the luxury of options provided its increasing hostile force posture towards China.

Christine Fair must realize that the strategic disadvantages Pakistan alone has been suffering from and she must visit Pakistan to see these hard and bitter realities by herself. Her behaviour represents a certain level of thanklessness prevailing in the American mindset. It is the sacred job of every academic and researcher to approach things rationally and in a realistic manner but Christine Fair in her routine dogmatic nonsense has put the sole-responsibility for the military and political shortcomings and perhaps a defeat of the United States in Afghanistan on Pakistan.

The writer can be reached at: mmab11@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, October 19^th 2017.