US-Pakistan Relations: An Appraisal of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Strategy to Counter Terrorism

摘要

The history of United States-Pakistan relations has alternated between cooperation and dissonance. For the last decade terrorism has brought the countries together despite other divergent interests. Combating terrorism has become a vital national interest for both countries and the proximity of combat operations requires close cooperation and coordination. The U.S.- Afghanistan-Pakistan (AF-PAK) strategy announced by the U.S. President, however, has caused consternation on the part of some key stakeholders. This paper examines the history of U.S.-Pakistan relations and their cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The paper also analyzes the proposed AF-PAK strategy and advances several recommendations for improving the strategy while enhancing U.S.-Pakistan cooperation.