Trump's big strategic misconception in withholding $255M in aid from Pakistan: They like it, but they're not dependent on it. Sure, it's a lot of money to the Trump organization. But it's 0.08% of Pakistan's GDP ($284B). And 2.9% of Pakistan's annual military budget ($8.7B).
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US-Pakistan relationship is complicated. But they're fighting some of the same organizations along Af-Pak border. As with so much of Trump's foreign policy, pulling back from Pakistan creates an opening for China. That comes from ignorance, not intention. But result's the same.
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Millions might buy one US politician, but not a whole country. What it gets is access, influence, and intelligence sharing. The important question is not whether Pakistan does everything the US wants (of course they don't), it's whether the US benefits from the aid (it does).
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Follow up: Pakistan's foreign minister says his country won't be treated like America's "whipping boy." Maybe this blows over and Pakistan acquiesces to Trump's (not well specified) demands. More likely, it does lasting damage to the relationship.https://www.wsj.com/articles/pakistan-says-alliance-with-u-s-is-over-1515155860 …
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For Pakistan's government, bowing down in response to a threat is worse domestically than pushing back. This is the problem with misconceiving of US aid to Pakistan as a lot of money: The government likes it, but doesn't really need it. Domestic political support is more valuable
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Already, the Pakistani government bucks public opinion by working with the US as much as it does, providing supply lines into Afghanistan, and sharing intelligence and looking the other way on US drone strikes. Trump's undermining that to "save" 77 cents per American. Yes, cents.
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Absolutely
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