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With a 2-hr closed-door meeting, Trump may have made it difficult for Asim Munir
While their meeting has been seen as a sign of US-Pakistan bonhomie, US President Donald Trump might have put Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir in a difficult position: Munir risks compromising ties with China with the turn to the United States and Trump's demands go against longstanding Pakistani foreign policy. read more
Pakistan's Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir salutes after laying wreath on the martyrs' monument during a guard of honour ceremony at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. AFP
While their meeting is definitely a sign of the brewing US-Pakistan bonhomie, US President Donald Trump appears to have put Pakistani Army chief Field Marshall Asim Munir in a difficult spot: while Trump's offerings are generous, his demands are taxing and risk compromising longstanding Pakistani position.
Trump held a two-hour-long meeting with Munir on Wednesday, which was seen as a breakthrough in the US-Pakistan relationship.
For one, Trump wants Pakistan to distance itself from China and pivot to the United States. That is a non-starter for Pakistan as China is invested so much in the country economically, politically, and militarily that distancing is not just infeasible but unthinkable.
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However, Trump's outreach to Pakistan —and offers— don't come for free. The risks for Munir are also substantial.
Trump puts Munir in difficult spot
While Trump made generous offers to Munir, he also sought substantial returns on his investment.
Trump sought Pakistan's military bases and seaports from Munir in exchange for fifth-generation fighter planes, significant financial aid, and new trade and security deals, according to CNN-News 18.
Trump told Munir that the offer rests on the condition that Pakistan would curtain dealings with China and Russia.
A source further said that Trump would want Pakistan to be on the US side if he would decide to join Israel in attacking Iran.
ALSO READ: Trump wants military bases from Munir, offers security-trade deals in US-Pak reset: Report
While Trump's offerings are great, they put Munir in a tough spot as accepting these offers would mean diluting yearslong relationship with Pakistan and undoing the longstanding policy regarding Israel.
Consider these facts: China accounts for around 23 of all Pakistan's trade, China is the largest source of foreign investment in Pakistan with a share of around 40 per cent, and just one project, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), adds 2-2.5 per cent of Pakistan's economy.
Moreover, while Pakistan has historically used Western weapons, the military has been increasingly armed by China in recent years . In the past five years, around 80 per cent of Pakistan's military imports have been from China.
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With such dependence, it is impractical —if not impossible— for Munir to curtail ties and engagement with China and replace it with the United States as the principal partner of the United States. But, once you have had an audience with Trump and received such offers, it is not easy to bluntly say no. That means that either Munir would lose face in front of Trump by refusing the offers or he would try to reach middle ground that could upset both Trump and Xi Jinping of China.
Trump seeks reset in US-Pakistan ties
With his meeting with Munir, Trump has made it clear that he is seeking a reset in US-Pakistan ties.
In an unprecedented meeting that lays bare who truly runs Pakistan, Trump held a meeting at the White House with Munir on Wednesday.
This was the first time a President of the United States held a direct, formal meeting with a Pakistani army chief. Three previous army chiefs, Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Pervez Musharraf, held meetings with the US president but only when they were heads of state while running a military regime after a coup — not in capacity as army chiefs.
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The reset in US-Pakistan relationship has come at a time when Trump's policies and actions have soured times with India . He has not just continued to falsely claim mediation in the India-Pakistan conflict last month but has also hyphenated India and Pakistan, intervened in the Kashmir dispute, and made deals with jihadists from West Asia to South Asia that adversely affect India's security interests.
ALSO READ: Beyond Pakistan: Trump's open embrace of jihadist forces across Asia a new headache for India
However, as mentioned above, Trump is not making offers but also seeking substantial returns. South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman describes it as a 'classic Trump' give-and-take approach.
'There's been US-Pakistan engagement on crypto, minerals and counter-terrorism, and Trump takes a deep personal interest in all of these. This is classic Trump: 'What can you do for me? What can I get out of this?' Kugelman, a Senior Fellow at Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, told Guardian.
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