Here
s a great Pakistani response from someone who understood Trump
s - Below mentioned response is from a leading defence journalist in Pakistan and is an example of the general feeling of Pakistani public.
"In
#Pakistan, Avoid Emotional Responses to
#Trump Speech
Pakistani responses to Trump
s speech need to be measured and restrained, avoid emotional outbursts.
Keep in mind the following:
1. Trump is struggling with his intelligence & military communities. The speech is a compromise effort. Trump remains someone we can engage.
2. In his speech, Trump equally battered Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. He balanced criticism for Pakistan with recognition of Pakistani sacrifices. The choice of critical words for Pakistan were standard DoD & Langley, nothing new. But he was also tough with India & Afghanistan. He charged India of making billions from its relationship with the US and that New Delhi needs to financially share the burden of stabilizing Afghanistan. He also warned Afghanistan that US support is not open-ended and that Afghan officials will have to accept reforms.
3. The speech was well-constructed. It lessened the impact of criticism of India & Afghanistan by separating praise & criticism. In Pakistan
s case, criticism &
recognition
came together for impact.
4. India
s & Afghanistan
s responses were measured. India said it
shares Trump
s concerns
. It did not comment on Trump
s demand for it to help share the financial burden in Afghanistan. Kabul, for its part, was silent on accepting reforms that Trump did not specify and limited its reaction to welcoming the speech.
5. Pakistan
s reaction should be measured. We should
- welcome the US policy review
- reject the notion that 16-years of unmet objectives in Afghanistan is somehow Pakistan
s responsiblity
- highlight the need for national reconciliation & inclusiveness in Afghanistan
- emphasize that Pakistan is the biggest loser of the continued war in Afg, and the biggest beneficiary of peace
- record our discomfort at the use of Afghan soil for anti-Pakistan terror
- note India
s role in destabilizing Afghanistan after 9/11. Indian advice created more problems for the US; permanent chaos in Afg serve Indian interests and create a leverage against Pakistan regarding Kashmir Conflict
- call on US to work with Pakistan to secure the interests of both countries in stabilizing Afg & defeating terror
- welcome Pres Trump
s resolve for an honorable solution in Afghanistan
There is no new US criticism for Pakistan in President Trump
s speech.
However, Islamabad should have an equally good response: it should balance Pak-US cooperation, which is good, with straight talk on meeting the interests of both countries.
Trump speech was not all that bad. It was a domestic American need, and it repeated the usual American lines on Pakistan.
We should not be devastated. We should improve our own lines."
Via Leland Best
Here's a great Pakistani response from someone who understood Trump's - Below mentioned response is from a leading defence journalist in Pakistan and is an example of the general feeling of Pakistani public.
"In #Pakistan, Avoid Emotional Responses to #Trump Speech
Pakistani responses to Trump's speech need to be measured and restrained, avoid emotional outbursts.
Keep in mind the following:
1. Trump is struggling with his intelligence & military communities. The speech is a compromise effort. Trump remains someone we can engage.
2. In his speech, Trump equally battered Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. He balanced criticism for Pakistan with recognition of Pakistani sacrifices. The choice of critical words for Pakistan were standard DoD & Langley, nothing new. But he was also tough with India & Afghanistan. He charged India of making billions from its relationship with the US and that New Delhi needs to financially share the burden of stabilizing Afghanistan. He also warned Afghanistan that US support is not open-ended and that Afghan officials will have to accept reforms.
3. The speech was well-constructed. It lessened the impact of criticism of India & Afghanistan by separating praise & criticism. In Pakistan's case, criticism & 'recognition' came together for impact.
4. India's & Afghanistan's responses were measured. India said it 'shares Trump's concerns'. It did not comment on Trump's demand for it to help share the financial burden in Afghanistan. Kabul, for its part, was silent on accepting reforms that Trump did not specify and limited its reaction to welcoming the speech.
5. Pakistan's reaction should be measured. We should
- welcome the US policy review
- reject the notion that 16-years of unmet objectives in Afghanistan is somehow Pakistan's responsiblity
- highlight the need for national reconciliation & inclusiveness in Afghanistan
- emphasize that Pakistan is the biggest loser of the continued war in Afg, and the biggest beneficiary of peace
- record our discomfort at the use of Afghan soil for anti-Pakistan terror
- note India's role in destabilizing Afghanistan after 9/11. Indian advice created more problems for the US; permanent chaos in Afg serve Indian interests and create a leverage against Pakistan regarding Kashmir Conflict
- call on US to work with Pakistan to secure the interests of both countries in stabilizing Afg & defeating terror
- welcome Pres Trump's resolve for an honorable solution in Afghanistan
There is no new US criticism for Pakistan in President Trump's speech.
However, Islamabad should have an equally good response: it should balance Pak-US cooperation, which is good, with straight talk on meeting the interests of both countries.
Trump speech was not all that bad. It was a domestic American need, and it repeated the usual American lines on Pakistan.
We should not be devastated. We should improve our own lines."
Via Leland Best
