Can Pakistan See the Big Picture in U.S. Ties?

Pakistan has largely articulated its stance on Afghanistan, identifying the following wish list: Pathan (in this case Taliban) participation at the centre following a political reconciliation process; minimal Indian presence on the ground, particularly in connection with the Afghan National Army; continued international support for the Afghan economy, a more sustainable model for the Afghan Nation Security Forces. Implicit in this wish list are Pakistan’s expectations of the US, as a guarantor against Indian presence in Afghanistan and a backer of its artificially inflated economy. The US has yet to coherently acknowledge, engage or provide viable alternatives for this wish list. But progress in this context will not magically resolve the US-Pakistan conundrum — the bilateral relationship does not start and end with Afghanistan.