#pakistan is Not to be Trusted

To even the most uninformed of outside observers, it is apparent that anti-American sentiment is woven deeply into the various facets of Middle Eastern society; whether as a result of historical happenings, current political interactions, religious beliefs, or other reasons, many Middle Eastern leaders and citizens have emitted distinctly anti-American and anti-Western vibes over the last few years.

The examples are numerous. Take Muhammar Gadhafi threatening the West by promising to take the fight in his nation to Europe and America. Or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who spouts anti-Israeli and anti-American ideas in every speech he gives. Lest we not forget Bashar al-Assad, who has blamed foreign interference for the current strife in his native Syria.

However, one Middle Eastern state that the American government considers to be an ally may actually become the largest threat to US and international security. It is not Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, or Iran. That state is Pakistan. Several months ago following the capture of Osama bin Laden by US forces in Pakistan, the Pakistani government came under a great deal of heat for supposedly providing safe sanctuary to bin Laden and other known Islamic terrorists, as well as for attempting to hinder the progress of US drone strikes against the Taliban in Afghanistan; it was then that Pakistan's anti-American ideals became apparent. Now, the threat that was perceived months ago may suddenly be coming to fruition.

On Friday, July 8, Pakistan's capital city of Karachi was plunged into chaos; over 1,100 people have already been reported killed in 2011 and the government appears as of now to have no response to the sudden pandemonium that has been unleashed in Pakistan's largest city. The sudden outbreak in violence can be attributed to ethnic clashes between two Pakistani minority groups in Karachi, the Pashtuns and the Muhajirs. Both groups have been found responsible for mass murders during the time period from July 5 to July 8; the ethnically and politically charged atmosphere has created a situation similar to the ongoing tribal warfare which states such as Yemen have experienced. As a result of this warfare, Karachi has been transformed from a largely cosmopolitan and international city to a battlefield sharing more in common with Grozny than with Beijing.

However, the reason for the sharp violent increase in Karachi over the last few days is not the issue at hand. Rather, while the fact that Pakistan's internal fault lines are large enough to create such violence is surely alarming to the Pakistani government, the ability of this violence to persist for several days and to turn the country's largest city into a battleground is so large an issue that it may force America and its allies to rethink their policies concerning Pakistan.

In addition to the sudden social and political disintegration of Pakistan leading to the recent violence, the Pakistani government's lack of meaningful action to put a stop to the chaos has left Pakistanis and people all over the world wondering if the government will be able to hold the nation together. The chairwoman of Pakistan's Human Rights Commission, Zohra Yusef, stated: “It is extremely disturbing...The absence of law enforcement agencies is very clear. It seems to be a poor response from the government." Indeed, this poor response from the government could allow the violence to spread from Karachi and swallow the entire nation, bringing pandemonium to Pakistan and the government to its knees.

America and its allies have had an interesting diplomatic relationship with Pakistan over the last few months. Through examples such as the instance in which the Pakistani government alerted Islamic extremist bomb-makers that US forces were converging upon them after the US military informed Pakistan of the planned raid, it is apparent that America and Pakistan do not always have the same goals and ideals, especially in the area of eliminating and prosecuting terrorists. From occurrences such as this, Pakistan's government can be deemed untrustworthy, unreliable, or of questionable character. However, to this point, Pakistan has remained an ally of America because it has remained an oasis of stability in a sea of Middle Eastern chaos. However, as illustrated by the recent events in Karachi, that is all about to change.

From Pakistan's actions over the last few months, most notably the government's suspected support and safekeeping provided to terrorists and enemies of America, one can decipher that America cannot afford to trust Pakistan. From the events in Pakistan over the last few days, one can understand that Pakistan is no longer stable and that the government cannot be trusted to ensure that the nation does not descend into chaos and anarchy.

Pakistan's possession of nuclear weapons further complicates the situation. Pakistan is a member of the "new five," states that have or are suspected of having nuclear weapons but have not ratified the Non-Proliferation Treaty. When Libya's crisis began, many people felt extremely lucky and thankful that Muhammar Gadhafi disbanded his nuclear arsenal in order to recieve monetary incentives. With Pakistan, this is not the case. The state has been confirmed to possess WMDs; therefore, should the nation descend into chaos, these weapons could fall into the hands of rebels, ethnic warriors, or terrorists with the intention of harming the US. The nuclear aspect of Pakistan's current crisis exemplifies the great danger that Pakistan's fall from stability may place upon America and the rest of the world.

Therefore, one can conclude that as of now, Pakistan cannot be trusted, by America or by any foreign state wishing diplomatic or other relations with it. For the US in particular, Pakistan has become another Syria or Yemen; while the state's anti-American attitude could have been ignored when the nation was stable and functioning properly, now as it is disintegrating, it has to be treated as a rouge state that is unreliable in all facets. Pakistan may be the newest member of the Arab Spring; however, the recent revolts resemble ethnic strife more than popular revolts in the name of democracy. Yet, the result is the same; a once stable state is now in danger of collapse. While the future of Pakistan is uncertain, one thing is for sure: Pakistan has proven itself to be untrustworthy even when it was stable; now, with its recent internal revolts, Pakistan is unpredictable and is in constant danger of internal combustion.