Daily Times

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump relies on his visceral instincts rather than cerebral clarity, with the result that he is stoking anger left, right and centre. He has angered the immigrants who have contributed to making the US what it is today. Last week, unruly protests greeted Trump in California, where protesters hurled rocks and damaged police cars, with 17 arrested and a Trump supporter taken to hospital with a head wound. Trump vows to stop helping US allies, and wishes to withdraw funding to the NATO and other such forums. During his recent interview with the CNN anchor, Anderson Cooper, when questioned about nuclear security and American defence policy, he said, “[That] although the US has traditionally provided military support to Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany and South Korea, it may be time to change the existing policy.”

Trump termed Pakistan “a vital problem for the United States (US) because they have a thing called nuclear weapons”, adding that amongst all the presidential hopefuls only he can solve the problem of, what he called “radical Islamic terrorism.” He even went to the extent of saying that Japan and South Korea should be allowed to make nuclear bombs to counter North Korea’s belligerency. He does not realise that by developing atomic weapons, Japan and South Korea would spark a nuclear arms race in the East Asia that would be very dangerous, particularly given the tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. Japan has had a consistent policy not to produce nuclear bombs. After Pakistan had detonated nuclear devices in response to Indian explosions, Japan vehemently opposed the efforts of developing countries to produce nuclear devices.

Trump at a town-hall meeting in Indianapolis in response to a question said, “But the problem with Pakistan, where they have nuclear weapons, which is a real problem. And it’s not the only country; you have nine countries right now with nuclear weapons. But Pakistan is semi-unstable. We don’t want to see total instability. It’s not that much, relatively speaking. We have a little bit of a good relationship. I think I’d try and keep it.” He, however, added that punitive action against Pakistan might see it collapse altogether. One has a problem understanding what Trump wants.

In an interview, Trump bluntly said that the US should stop giving any aid to Pakistan until Pakistan gets rid of its nukes. He compared Pakistan to North Korea while describing it as the ‘most dangerous country in the world’ that could go rogue.

On 2nd of March 2016, the former Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney described front-runner Trump a ‘phony’, and exhorted fellow Republicans to shun him for the good of the country and party. He said: “Here’s what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His domestic policies would lead to recession and his foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president.” Trump, who seeks nomination from the Republican Party as a presidential candidate is on the surge of popularity among Republican voters. There is a perception that if Trump gets the nomination on the basis of majority of delegates, the Grand Old Party (GOP) would stand divided. Last month, Republican foreign-policy experts had written an open letter opposing Trump’s candidacy for his hateful and anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Trump is neither a statesman nor a politician, but a businessman who invests in real estate, casinos, media and other ventures. He cannot realise how much damage he is causing to the GOP by his rhetoric and controversial remarks. Of course, he reflects the sentiments of Republican voters; nevertheless, the majority of Americans do not subscribe to his views. While responding to a question during a presidential debate, Trump said if he were elected to the White House, he would keep the country’s troops in Afghanistan to protect Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. “I think you have to stay in Afghanistan for a while because of the fact that you are right next to Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons and we have to protect those.” Last year, he had suggested involving India to de-nuclearise Pakistan.

As regards security of Pakistani nukes, the IAEA and the United States have expressed confidence, many times, in Pakistan’s commitment and dedication to nuclear security, and have shown appreciation of Pakistan’s efforts to improve its strategic trade controls. The State Department has made it public that the administration has been in regular discussions with government of Pakistan on a range of issues on important shared interests, including nuclear security, counter-terrorism and fostering a stable Afghanistan. Neocons and hawks should remember that the US and its allies were defeated in Vietnam. They had invaded Iraq on the pretext that it possessed weapons of mass destruction that were never found. The question is who gained in the process. Of course, Iran did. From 1st of January 2015, the IJC was downsized to about 10,000 personnel, and its focus is towards building Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) systems and processes.

The ego of the superpower may not allow it to accept its failure in Afghanistan, but entering into talks with the Taliban unconditionally was an acknowledgment of the eidetic reality that the war was not winnable. In June 2011, when talks for establishing an office by the Taliban in Qatar began, the then president Hamid Karzai had expressed indignation over efforts to sideline him, and stated that negotiations could falter if his government was not involved in the talks with the Taliban. Washington had already signalled for a negotiated political settlement of the Afghan imbroglio in 2012, and talking of peace with Taliban was acknowledgment that the military option had failed. It has to be said that the Taliban remains a potent fighting force after most foreign forces left at the end of 2014, and they control large swathes in south and east, and even outreach to the north.

The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at mjamil1938@hotmail.com