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A
demonstration of it was given by President Donald Trump
during his reception of our Prime Minister Imran Khan in the
Oval Office on July 22.
He remembered that Imran Khan was a ‘popular leader’ and ‘athlete’ and
then ad-libbed his way through the flip-flop of Pakistan-US relations since
he became president. It must have caused Imran Khan chagrin that
precious prime time was exhausted by his host answering planted questions
on subjects unrelated to Pakistan-US relations — the four recalcitrant
congresswomen, the tension with Iran, and Puerto Rico where he regretted
that the United States had given $92bn in aid which was squandered by
corrupt politicians.
The devil may lie in the detail, but for President Trump and Prime Minister
Imran Khan that day, they were floating in a heavenly empyrean of
bonhomie. Ms Melania Trump capped the event by appearing for a photo-
op with arguably the most debonair prime minister in the world (except
perhaps Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau).
Will this bonhomie translate into presidential takeaways for Imran Khan?
Will Imran Khan return to Pakistan laden with concessions by an effusively
friendly US president?
In time, historians will analyse why the United States, with its military
might and devastating firepower (“I can destroy Afghanistan in a week,”
President Trump boasted to Imran Khan), has had to limp away from every
conflict it has entered into since 1945. Gone are the days when one
American — Allen Dulles — could precipitate a revolt in Iran against
premier Mossadeq and restore Raza Shah Pahlavi as the US puppet on
Since 9/11, Pakistan has received over $30bn in aid and military
reimbursements. (Remittances by the tight-fisted Pakistani diaspora in the
US average $2.5 million per year.) Once the US and its allies have quit
Afghanistan, what will be the quantum of our relationship with the US?
Where will we stand in a US-Saudi-Iran stand-off?
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