The United States – Pakistan Counter Terrorism Interaction & Distrust (A Prospect of Drone Warfare 2004-2018)

Abstract

Pakistan and the United States of America share a distinct strategic and diplomatic heritage with respect to issues primarily concerning security. During the Cold War period, both states developed comprehensive strategies against Communist threat which also included designing Afghanistan in a manner to protect anti-Communist structure but with dissolution of the Soviet Union, ground realities with respect to al-Qaeda and Taliban changed dramatically where America and Pakistan shared distinct points of view. The United States of America claimed Taliban to be prospectively dangerous and a threat to international security whereas Pakistan maintained that disturbing regional equilibrium was not feasible primarily. The 9/11 incident changed domain of security and regional integrity where both Pakistan and the United States were individually and collectively at a turbulent decision vacuum. United States of America was required to reevaluate its security matrix while Pakistan was to restructure its security calculus to accommodate asymmetric aggression. The Washington administration adopted areal drone strategy to knock-down al-Qaeda on its heels and to crush Taliban and other associate groups from Afghanistan and Northern areas of Pakistan. The logic of the use of unmanned drone technology argued by the Washington administration that the drones are highly affected and target killing weapons have been highly successful at killing of high value targets’ (HVTs) in different countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. The drone warfare is quite ethical, wise and essential to combat and kill the daunting and repulsive terrorist organizations in different parts of the world. The US drone strikes strategy during 2004-2018 over the territories of Pakistan has been severely criticize on the part of Pakistan’s political, social, religious fabrics and media channels which generated anti-American sentiments in Pakistan and generated the environment of distrust between the United States and Pakistan. The research aims at defining the spectrum of terrorism and its various forms that can individually and collectively effect counter-terrorism and will also prospectively suggest amendments and ramifications of bilateral counterterrorism initiative between America and Pakistan. The work focuses on presenting effects of standalone strategies on the overall policy of reducing effect of terrorism on a global scale by presenting a comprehensive timeline of America-Pakistan interaction pertaining to counterterrorism. The purpose of postulating such a comprehensive timeline is to present a compendium of fault lines and opportunity orientations for America and Pakistan to consider while engaging in a bilateral counterterrorism stratagem.