Risky business

Author: Daily Times

The spat between the US and Turkey, over the latter’s detention of an American pastor on alleged espionage and terror-related charges, shows no signs of being resolved any time soon.

Washington has imposed sanctions on two ministers while doubling steel and aluminium tariffs on Turkish imports. This is expected to hit the construction industry hard as well as increasing the cost of corporate debt; already placed at more than $220 billion. The lira has now hit an all-time low against the dollar; taking total depreciation to 45 percent so far this year. Though emerging reports indicate the tit-for-tat move that has seen increased tariffs slapped on American imports is rallying the Turkish currency. Be that as it may, there are still fears that the economy may freefall.

And now Pakistan has found itself caught up in the diplomatic row.

Last month, Islamabad signed a lucrative $1.5 billion defence deal with Ankara to purchase some 30 multi-purpose helicopter gunships. The package also covers: ammunition, training, spare parts and other logistical support. So far, so good. Except that the Trump administration is threatening to block the sale. On the grounds that American-made parts went into the manufacturing of the helicopters. Thus it is stalling on green-lighting the necessary export licences.

This may be nothing more than the sort of grandstanding that one has come to associate with this White House. Considerable leverage to ensure that the US gets it way on the acquittal of Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson. Indeed, it is a rather convenient coincidence that the defence deal represents one of the most expensive ever concluded by the Turkish state. But, then, as Qatar knows only too well, Washington is not averse to financially choking nations for punitive gain. Sadly, this is something which with Pakistan is also rather familiar. At least when it comes to the withholding of military assistance. Or, say, publicly cautioning the IMF against a bailout package.

Yet the US may ultimately come to regret sacrificing the larger picture in the hope of securing short-term wins. Meaning that recent ‘missteps’ in both Turkey and Pakistan jeopardise American regional interests. The former has increasingly positioned itself as part of a geo-strategic trinity including Russia, and Iran. Never has this been demonstrated more clearly than in the Syria conflict. In short, Ankara has powerful allies. As does Pakistan. For in addition to its so-called all-weather friend, Beijing; it, too, is cosying up to Moscow.

The fact that a resurgent Russia and rising China have begun flexing their muscles in their near-backyard and beyond — long viewed by the US as being its exclusive sphere of influence — ought to be welcomed by all. In as much as it does not serve the cause of the countries of this region to be held hostage to the diktats of any one nation. Thus multilateral cooperation should be supported.

What Pakistan needs most is to live in a neighbourhood at peace with itself. Or, at the very least, not one perpetually caught up in someone else’s proxy war. For only in this way will it be able to wholeheartedly focus on mending ties across both the eastern and western fronts. Surely, this ought to be in everyone’s interest.  *

Published in Daily Times, August 16th 2018.

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