America: Our Ultimate Nanny?
By Maham Javed • Sep 6th, 2008 • Category: Politics • 30 CommentsEver since the Creation of Pakistan, a need for an ally was one that was deeply felt. Pakistan, suffering from the loss of her leader and founder, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was still teetering on dangerous grounds. India was yet again to be seen happily contemplating the moment when Pakistan would take a tumble or two and give up. Treading into a ruthless world with no one to be named as her benefactor, it was a matter of urgency to find a friend. Washing away the smirks from the Indians as they dubbed Pakistan as “one state not to survive long” was a task which Pakistan had to take with zeal and zest.
The first war between Pakistan and India in 1948 left the already new-born country even frailer than before. In 1950, Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, turned down the invitation by USSR and opted for the extended hand of USA. There were a long rally of talks between Liaquat Ali Khan and the President of the USA, by the end of which Liaquat Ali Khan returned happy and sated that he had atlast found the sort of friendship beneficial for the state. In 1954, USA and Pakistan signed a mutual defense agreement. Military aid was dispatched to Pakistan with considerable haste in 1953 and 1961 which totaled upto $ 508 million.
The year, 1962 saw President Kennedy giving his word to the Pakistani President, Ayub Khan that if the United States decided to give India military aid, he would talk with Ayub Khan first. There were great bouts of anger rippling through the Pakistani Nation when he failed to do so.
The history of Pakistan and the United States of America is one which goes way deeper than it seems to a commoner. It started from the birth of Pakistan and is still to this day full of deceits, doubts and wavering complications. It is not for me to plow in the untangled web of the past and present. What I am here to discuss is the blindly trusting weight which we can put on America’s words.
What is in it for America to take Pakistan under her wing and nurse it as Pakistan was her own? What games are there and what is it in reality that the Nanny wants to do? Is it to gain access to Pakistan’s adjoining countries? Or to pin a puny blame that has no merit on Pakistan to clear the way for an attack?
What will happen when the Nanny will throw away her apron strings and leave the youngling wandering; helpless? To whom we will depend for endless charades of friendship? Where will we get billions of dollars for our leisurely pursuits and excursions?
For sixty-two years we have been coddled amidst the raging fury and unfairness that has been bestowed on us. Now, our patron has taken a new path; a new way. The time for an attack has been paved discreetly. Soon, our Benefactor will find different ways to uphold its views.
When all hell breaks loose and the Nanny throws away her apron and shouts ‘That’s it! I have had enough! I am leaving!” Then where will we stand? Where will our leaders look for a safe haven that is an illusion?
And, when will our leaders decide that it’s time we stand up for ourselves. For, if we don’t help ourselves who will?
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“In 1954, USA and Pakistan signed a mutual defense agreement.” - You need to check this out for correction, dear Madam.
Even in 1971, United States never promised Pakistan that its 7th naval vessel would come to its rescue against India.
National sacrifice is needed for standing up to our feet, and we as a nation doesn’t want to sacrifice.
America is not to be blamed. They have their own national interests and they are justified from their perspective in following and implementing them by hook or by crook. The problem is that we don’t know what our priorities, challenges, vision, goals, ambitions and interests are. Now, even our identity is getting murkier.
Aftab Bhai, you got me rolling into laughter here. The last three line of suggestions are high priorities and should not be overlooked.
Expect some hate mail on your way now.
Mr. Aftab,
I don’t know why but everytime you open your mouth, venom sprouts out. Do you mind? Have you something against me? You should be assured that whenever I write an article, I always make sure that any information I put in is correct as far as I know.
I must say you puzzle me a great deal. I have taken no offense nor have I thought about it as such but I am sorry to say you make me think otherwise. I don’t want to squabble with you like some stupid kids but I see myself reduced to that level by your-ah so gracious comments.
In future, please refrain from commenting if you need to point out all the flaws you can possibly lay your hands on. I don’t expect anyone to sing praises of me but I practically loathe the conversation which results as an aftermath of your comment.
I must tell you one thing, though. My writing is very very important to me. Infact the most important thing in the world to me. I will welcome any critical notes about it, as they will help me overcome my mistakes but I will not tolerate any thing about me giving wrong information to the people as such. Nor do i give any wrong ideas.
I am here to make people awre of some facts and the going ons and to wake them up to do something about it. I am not here to retort angrily as I am doing now. I hope in future you will keep to commenting on some other thing rather than my ineptness on handling my articles.
Good Day to you.
Well written again. But we should worry. What is in our hands and what will we loose if USA or any other force will take away their aids or funds. We have nothing to worry. Are we getting 24-7-365 hrs electricity, a 3 times food, own house to live, a quality education etc etc
If not, then no need to worry at all. We are not attending Aftar Parties in PM houses or Governor Houses.
No fear should be projected for poor man now, when time for sacrifice comes then these rulers asks for our help and then forgets every thing after achieving their targets. We should think beyond limits otherwise we will be crushing, crushing, and simply crushing.
Ms. Mahan Javed, keep writing because your writings are though provoking and hitting on the accurate place. You won’t find lot of comments on the topic but it is working indirectly.
Ms. Javed, I fail to appreciate your outburst. I wonder what made you so upset. If it is my
comment # 1 then I tend to stand by my recommendation that you will do yourself a favour and be a better informed person and so would be your readers, post facto. I expected you thanking me for raising your attention to this wrong information, but it seems you are too full of yourself. Hey, be my guest and feed to your readers as much as “that stuff” as you like.
Let me give you a ‘tuppence’ worth of tip. It does get hot in the kitchen and you oughta learn to take a bit of heat. As far as my mouth is concerned, well, actually I use my fingers for typing!
Mr. Saleem,
Thankyou for your comment. I am glad some people agree with me that what we need is more than America’s cheques in staggering amounts. If only we get to know what our priorities are and where we stand, we might do something else for the benefit of the country.
The moment we come to know what’s right for us, is the moment when everything will get right. We are Muslims. We are Paksitanis. We carry the blood of our forefathers; that chivalrous blood which can lead us to do great deeds and establish ourselves as a Nation. The same blood which should make us go out and do something other than protesting or talking among ourselves how everything si going wrong in this era. Heck! We have even stopped protesting now.
It is not the time to lament about how good it was in the olden days when Pakistanis knew what was wrong and right for them and a minor thing (compared to captures of our people) like raised food prices would have people shouting and protesting. It is the time to bring those Golden Days back. To bring them back for us and for Pakistan.
Regards.
Maham,
Ramadan Mubarak to you!
Let me share some thoughts with you. I am sure Aftab is well capable to respond. Our dear Aftab S. Alam is an acquired taste (no disrespect intended) when it comes to writing and responding here. Do not take things personally of his intent (I am thinking of the best for my fellow Pakistani here). Look at him as a professor guiding you in a direction. I have grown to have great deal of respect for Aftab Bhai (though he knows well, we disagree on many issues). Aftab Bhai is one of the few reasons I still come back to this site. He is an asset that takes time to understand and you should not react negatively to his comments.
At the same time, I also admire how you and many other writers are taking this step to write and I am a supporter and a well wisher. Especially our female writers on TPS. My concern has been and remains when ideas or facts get distorted. Please do not take feedback in the negative way. Anytime when someone writes even one word, it is subject to critique. Writers live on praises but the best are those that enjoy the critical (include satiire here as well) reviews.
I have a feeling that even this little interaction will be subject to a major war and I will not say anything further.
Please take a step back and reflect before jumping to any conclusions.
p.s. One more thing, just this interest from Aftab Bhai to even write a few words shows his interest in what you have to say. Take this as a compliment.
Mr. Aftab,
I certainly am not full of myself and I find it a great inconvenience to ‘reply’ to your petty issues and to ‘beg’ for you to change your thinking. I am not in a great hurry to redeem myself in your eyes. Nor I feel honor-bound to go on bended knees and cry with happiness of how you have been so kind as to ‘bestow’ your attention to me and my articles and cared to point them out. Had you chosen a different way, my reply would have been different.
Anyway, I have more to do than to keep up this rally of replies to your gracious ones. You can rant and rave and say all the crappy things about them and I will not pay a heed to it. After all you are the only person who finds these flaws in me.
Heed me and go and vent out your frustration on something else. Maybe it’s too hot a day and you need a bath. Whatever, it is I have done nothing to deserve such comments.
I totally agree with Maham. Mr. Aftab chases everyone who doesn’t agree with him. He has got words, but he is also filled with venom and is suffering from superiority complex very badly. He needs meditation and medication.
Dear Dr. Alshaer,
I will ofcourse think over what you say. I have great respect for you and you are the only person for which I comment. I assure you i do not think of this as some ‘negative thinking’. After all, when you told me to keep commenting I agreed only for you.
I have nothing against Mr. Aftab. As I have said before, he is a wonderful person and he has a great deal of knowledge. I, however, fail to grasp why he has to say such things. Even if needs to, I’d say he should take a leaf out of your books.
Please be assured that I welcome every kind of advice from you. I see you as my elder and a person of great intellect as well as a kindred spirit. I will try to think that maybe his commenting is due to his interest in my articles but I am ashamed to say that my writing is a very touching issue for me. I don’t fancy people to chant about how good it is but i simply cannot stomach thinking that I feed my readers crap. I, atleast, always reasearch before I write and I try to touch neglected issues. Furthermore, I try to exceed my readers’ expectations and I simply DONOT take it kindly that i am conjuring facts of my own. You should know I alway have a source behind it.
Regards.
Maham, If you ask me I come to this site to read the articles of you, Ghazala, Brig. Junaid and Rohail Butt. Others are good too, but you four are too good to be missed.
I have read the comments and the article. The article is a very lucid read no doubt, and comments are interesting too. I like the freedom of speech on this site, above all. Whatever happens, that must not be compromised. This is a rarity in our part of the world.
The US-Pakistan partnership is anything but a walk in Candyland.
The United States needs to realize that it has a bigger responsibility of leading the world in its pursuit of progress, peace and security. It just cannot afford to indulge in war incursions. It has the history of failing in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. It is destined to fail in Pakistan. The era of colonial warfare is over. Great Britain and France realized it long time back and pulled out of their colonies before irreparable damage was done to their relationships with the colonial people. Today, the British and the French are welcome guests in their former colonies.
There are serious contradictions in the US policy towards Pakistan. On the one hand, the US calls Pakistan a strategic ally to fight terrorism and on the other, it threatens to attack Pakistan’s sovereign territory. Perhaps, the US does not realize that a weaker Pakistan would be more dangerous for peace and security in the region and across the world. The US needs to review and reassess the geo-political stature of Pakistan and to build a solid, amicable, and mutually beneficial relationship not only with the government but also with the people of Pakistan.
It should not be difficult for the think tanks and the intelligentia in the US to understand the pecularities of the region comprising Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics and China. The entire region is intrinsically volatile and vulnerable to sectarian, ethnic and religio-political volcanos. It needs peace, stability, and prosperity to keep it away from bursting into a state of civil war or across the border intrusions.
The US cannot possibly ignore the emerging powers of China, India and Russia in the region. It is only Pakistan with whom the US has historical bonds, right from the inception of Pakistan. It should, therefore, be obvious as to where the US needs to place its trust and confidence to safeguard its geo-political interests.
Dear Sabeen,
Thankyou very very much. *beams*
I am proud and happy to know that my efforts are not wasted and my readers like my articles so much. After all, I write only for you people. I must agree with you. Rohail Butt, Ghazala Khan are too good to be missed and so are some of Brig. Junaid -no offense Briag. Sahib-. But, I must say A Khokar is great too. I love his expression. It is simply spell-binding.
His ideas are really original and nice too. Quite unique. I must say your comment really encouraged me. Atleast, if some people say something I’ll always know I have people like you, Saleem Khan and Dr. Alshaer at my back.
Regards.
Cool down buddies! Why we goes on wrong direction every time… please discuss on the said subject. Every body is welcome to play a constructive role in changing the minds of people. Why we became a Nation of Beggars, International Beggars. Why we have lost our credibility. That day is not far when Every country in world will start avoiding us because when ever our Govt officials visits other countries, they asks for Aid, Aid and Aid.
Why we are unable to make long term plans for our country and its people? After all we are Muslims and faith of Muslim should be strong and solid. Seriously, when I first time visited other country… my mind was raising so many questions… that Pakistan has all those things that this GCC country don’t have but even then we are legging behind and relying on other’s funds. We have Human Resource… Which is extremely scarce in the world these days, except in few countries. We have fresh water, 4 seasons, ample land, best minds, hard-working labour,… Seriously No country have all these things at one place but still we are beggars.
Allah helps those, who helps themselves.
Madam, you are wrong - again. You neither need redemption nor cry with happiness or frustration. Let me correct you I am not even interested in ‘you’ at all to bother about flaws in you. It is just that information that you gave which is factually wrong, period. Go and check it and add a ‘corrigendum’ and this will do a world of good. One you will know it, and it will make you happy to know that you have made 3860 something of your readers better informed.