Critical Triangle continues ......

As the Clinton presidency continued, Afghanistan under the Taliban would become a major focus of the administration’s antiterror efforts. At the same time, the ISI and Pakistan grew increasingly oblivious of the strain their quest for strategic depth was placing on its relationship with the US, Iran, Central Asia and China. Ties with both India and Pakistan deteriorated in the wake of the May 1998 nuclear tests by both countries.

The US had tried everything to prevent Pakistan following the Indian tests. After imposing the maximum sanctions on India as mandated by law, President Clinton proceeded to offer Pakistan the resumption of military and economic aid, starting with the embargoed F-16s.

As the price of not testing, Nawaz Sharif claimed that “it is up to the international community” to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns. The price Pakistan was demanding was twofold and amounted to what was a shift in the balance of power between India and Pakistan. First, Pakistan wanted the harshest possible punishment of India and the minimum mandated by law was simply not enough.

As Pakistan Foreign Minister, Gauhar Ayub said, “Invoking mandatory sanctions under US law against India hardly constitutes an effective response.” Second, Prime Minister Sharif wanted Clinton to provide a security guarantee against India. Yet again the US was unwilling to either penalise India or give Pakistan the security guarantees it required and on 28 May when Pakistan tested its own nuclear devices, sanctions followed rapidly.

To be continued.....