The American Pakistani relationship has shown tremendous signs of improvement. For one, the daily diatribe of US officials and the “do more mantra” emanating from uniformed generals has come to an end. The US seems to be in a listen mode. However the main irritant in US-Pakistani relations are the drone attacks. Whether the PPP government is complicit in the drone bombing (as the US media suggests), or they are just as frustrated at the American hubris as the rest of the population–that is a matter or intense debate within Pakistan and without.

American strategic dialogue with Pakistan has only one purpose–it is to secure American interests. American security dialogue with Pakistan is not to enhance Pakistani security, Pakistani economy or Pakistani might–all that will happen only if US interests are totally and absolutely aligned with US interests.

• that the Pakistan military has just about had it with the mudslinging against it in the US media that is especially close to US officialdom.
• This holds true especially for the ISI which has become the favourite whipping boy of the US as its own failures in Afghanistan have become more acute.
• Linked to this is also the realisation that they cannot pit the political leadership against the military, nor can they use the former to pressure the latter.

The Pakistani diplomatic corps, civilian leadership and the military brass must make clear and unambiguous demands from America. Pakistan is essential to the reelection of President Obama. Strike while the iron is hot. Pakistan may never get this opportunity again. This is a time to drive a hard bargain. The Americans for once are listening. The obsequious PPPP must not lose this opportunity and come back smiling.

For Pakistan the dialogue can be fruitful if we play our cards right and exploit some opportunities that have become evident. To begin with, both the US and Afghanistan have realized two important realities: One, that without Pakistan’s active support, there can be no peace in Afghanistan and certainly no respectable exit strategy for the US and NATO. Shireen Mazari. The Nation.

Islamabad should use the KISS principle Keep it simple stupid. Present a list of demands–similar to the lsit of demands presented to President Musharraf by Richard Armitage right after 9/11. President Musharraf missed an opportunity to negotiate. This is a golden opportunity to rectify the wrongs of President Musharraf and President Zia (who settled for peanuts), and President Ayub (who did not drive a hard bargain). Pakistan was the model of growth in the 60s, a model emulated by Korea and others. Pakistan lost its stride due the Cold War alliances. The US must rectify the wrongs of the past and the present.

That was then–and this is now!

Its time Prime Minsiter Gilani.

WASHINGTON: Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will be the first army chief to participate in the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue to be held here on March 24.

Also for the first time, the Americans are expected to include their defence secretary Robert Gates and national security adviser Gen James Jones.

ISI chief Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, who got one-year extension last week, will represent Pakistan’s security interests.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who chaired a preparatory meeting in Islamabad on Saturday, noted that the dialogue had already been enhanced from the official to the ministerial level.

This means that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will lead their teams in the talks.

Although, as the prime minister said, the dialogue would be broad-based, the inclusion of such senior defence and security officials indicates that military and security issues would dominate.

But equally important is the need for reviving the Pakistani economy and Islamabad is expected to send a number of proposals on how it believes the United States can help achieve this target.

The Americans have indicated that they are willing to help, particularly in the energy sector where they are prepared to finance some major projects, which can be recognised as symbols of US support for Pakistan, like the Tarbela dam.

If it up to the PPPP government, the Pakistani army and the ISI to define Pakistani interests in a cogent and succinct manner. It is up to Islamabad to think up of creative ways to make the Americans think that the policies are aligned. There should be honesty and transparency in terms of strategic depth, vulnerabilities, and hegemony of other powers in the region. The Americans are not made of salt–recent statements by General Petraeus, and Admiral Mullen show a new found comprehension of Pakistan’s security needs. General Kapoor’s comments, and the bluster from Delhi surely help them get a clearer picture of the situation. The waves of suicide attacks on Lahore pales the mischief in Mumbai–and Delhi’s concerns have been thrown in the background.

As the prime minister said in Islamabad on Saturday, the Americans also had indicated that the talks would be very broad-based, covering economic, defence, security and social sectors.

But the issue that concerns the Americans most is the situation in Afghanistan and Fata. The Obama administration is keen to show some achievements in the war against militants before the mid-term elections in November when all 435 congressmen and 34 senators seek re-election.

If the ruling Democratic Party wants to maintain its control over the US Senate and the House, it needs to show progress in Afghanistan and Fata. Failing to do so can cause them to lose the elections and also endanger President Barack Obama’s re-election in 2012.

The overwhelming feeling in Washington is that the Pakistani military can play a key role in achieving this target and diplomatic observers believe that one of the objectives of the strategic dialogue is to give Pakistan a chance to air its views on this issue.

The observers say that each side will use the dialogue to hear and convey its concerns and expectations to the other.

“This marks a good effort by the two sides to bridge the trust deficit, but the risk is that it becomes so broad-ranging that it loses focus,” warned one such observer.

The observers stressed the need for Pakistan to prioritise its objectives so that the dialogue could lead to concrete results.

They also urged Pakistan to ensure that substantial progress is also made on issues other than the war on terror, particularly on the economic front.

“The Pakistanis should not go back with the feeling that all the Americans wanted to do was to seek greater cooperation in the war against militants and the rest was window-dressing,” warned another observer.

The observers recalled that the US and Pakistan have been holding strategic talks for at least two decades now, without much progress. Dawn

According to press reports, Pakistan is seeking parity with Bharat–a term lost in the 70s, but has been resurrected after Chegai and the American defeat in Afghanistan.The entire Pakistani leadership is in Washington–participating in the strategic dialogue with Washington.

Pakistan must demand the following from the US:

1) A Marshall Plan to offset the 30 years of war suffered by the region. The “peanuts” aid promised is “Pennies” and should be enhanced with concrete brick and mortar investments in Pakistan–in energy, in schooling (Pakistan needs 65,000 schools and 63,000 new teachers). Forgiveness of Paksitan’s foreign debt.

2) The clear and unambiguous announcement that Pakistan will get and deserves the same Civilian Nuclear deal as Delhi has. The symbolism of the announcement itself is important for Pakistan, the region and the world. Detractors claim that Pakistan and Bharat have different histories. That is correct–Pakistan has supported the US since the 50s—Bharat has been aligned with the USSR. Coming from behind to proclaim a “natural alliance” shows a disingenuousness and total lack fidelity towards anyone.

3) A clear and unambiguous acknowledgement of Pakistan’s strategic interests in Afghanistan and Central Asia. Immediate implementation of FTA with Pakistan and designation of all of Pakistan as a Reconstruction Opportunity Zone (ROZ).

4) The roll back of Anti-Pakistani forces in Afghanistan, and coronation of a pro-Pakistani government in Kabul.

5) Stiff pressure on Bharat to resolve Kashmir–bifurcating the state on the banks of the Chenab on “linguistic lines”. The Jammuites speak Hindu, the Kashmir’s speak Urdu. A division on linguistic lines is palatable to those in Bharat who use secularism as an excuse for not giving the Kashmiris the right of self-determination.

6) Halt to abuse of Pakistani-Americans and Pakistani travelers.

7) Acceptance of Pakistan as a Nuclear power and rehabilitation of the father of Pakistan’s Nuclear bomb A.Q. Khan.

8) The clear announcement that Pakistan will be a candidate for the UNSC and and when Security Council is expanded.

9) A clear acknowledgement of and apologies for the mistakes of the 70s (Kissinger’s threat, non-arrival of 7th fleet) and 80s (Symington, and Pressler amendments) and unjust and horrid sanctions on Pakistan in the 70s and the 80s. Delivery of the F-16s that were not given to Pakistan, even after Pakistan paid the US $450 million.

10) Stopping the opposition to the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, and expeditious implementation of the TAP gas pipeline.

11) Reconstruction of every house and village bombed by the US drones.

12) Upgrade of the Pakistani military to NATO standards, in terms of training, equipment and facilities.

This is what Shireen Mazari says March 16th, 2010–in an editorial in The Nation.

this is the time to renegotiate the so-called war on terror cooperation with the US on a more reciprocal basis, and demand some specific strategic returns from the US. At the top of the list should be peaceful nuclear energy, given our shortages in this vital field for development. Linked to this is the water issue and India’s continuing theft of Pakistan’s share of the river waters. Access to markets should also be at the top of the trade agenda. Screening and visa impediments for Pakistanis, especially students, are other aggravating issues. Terrorism is bound to figure high on the agenda with ISI’s General Pasha also participating, so Indian state terrorism through Afghanistan into Balochistan and FATA needs to be dealt with. If the strategic dialogue is to have meaning in a strategic way then weapons and technology transfers should also be included. It is time we moved out of the “wheat and soya bean” mindset and played hardball with the US which really has no option but to cultivate Pakistan’s cooperation. Let us not waste the opportunity, as we did immediately after post-9/11, by selling ourselves short in the strategic dialogue. Otherwise it will be yet another meaningless diplomatic-propagandist exercise that will not serve the interests of Pakistan. Shireen Mazari. The Nation.

These points should be repeated over and over again. Every US and Pakistani meeting should end up discussing these issues. The Americans are hard bargainers–but the Pakistanis should not be docile in asking what Pakistan deserves.  They may reject it at first, or not pay attention to it. However this list should be produced at every meeting at ever press-conference and every negotiations. Repetition and reproduction of the list should be a prime directive to all Pakistani leaders and diplomats.