PAL-C’s Open Letter to John Negroponte
Dear Ambassador Negroponte,
As earnest and patriotic Americans we are deeply committed to ensuring that American national security interests are upheld. This is our priority. At the same time, as Pakistani-Americans we are uniquely invested in achieving a prosperous and sustainable peace for Pakistan, particularly in the border areas. These two goals are inherently compatible through a strategy of US assistance to Pakistan in the areas of economic development and military training.
We are greatly encouraged by the initiatives, outlined below, that the US has undertaken reflecting this approach to the issue of militancy in Pakistan. However, we would like to emphasize that any type of unilateral strikes by the US or allied forces within Pakistan, or any type of foreign troop presence in Pakistan including incursions by US/NATO troops in "hot pursuit" of militants or cross-border shelling into Pakistan will be considered an unacceptable breach of Pakistani sovereignty and is counter-productive to the US mission in the region.
As in the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan, a military incursion by the US into Pakistan will only lend credence to the militants’ false appeal as the defenders of Muslims against a foreign occupying force. We must not let this happen. Instead, drawing on the lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, we recommend building the capacity of Pakistan's own counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency forces and continuing to provide them with the necessary assistance to eradicate militancy from the area entirely.
We recognize that there has been some progress made towards actualizing this policy. The Department of Defense plans to equip and train special operations units of the Pakistan Army focusing on the Special Services Group and its helicopter mobility unit, the 21st Quick Reaction Squadron, to enhance its ability to execute combat missions in the border region. Also, the Pentagon has spent about $25 million to equip Pakistan's Frontier Corps with body armor, vehicles, radios and surveillance equipment, and plans to spend $75 million more in the next year. These types of efforts need to be expanded and supported.
There is also a need to enhance coordination among Afghan, Pakistani, US, and NATO forces in the Afghanistan/Pakistan border region. Despite the inauguration of Border Coordination Centers in March of this year, and the creation of a database used to prevent accidental attacks on friendly forces, the deaths of 11 Pakistani paramilitary forces as a result of US bombing within Pakistani territory shows the complete inadequacy of these measures. Coordination and intelligence sharing between allied forces in the region is of paramount importance to the success of any kind of military engagement in the area. Without it, the risk of an expansion of the conflict is huge.
On the development side we recognize that the US is now beginning to evolve a new approach that places an emphasis on creating opportunities for the Pakistani people. This is important so that the US demonstrates its interest in Pakistan's own long-term security and prosperity and also so that the Pakistani people have an economic and social foundation from which to work on a grassroots level to exclude militants from their communities.
We feel the initiative that encapsulates this approach most fully is Senator Biden and Senator Lugar's legislative proposal, the "Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2008," which places as its centerpiece a tripling of non-security development assistance to Pakistan to $1.5 billion every year over the next ten years. We highly recommend this initiative in terms of both the increase in substantive aid that will directly affect the Pakistani public but also for the clear signal that it sends to Pakistani policymakers that the US desires a long-term strategic partnership with the nation of Pakistan and is not simply self-interested in a short-term fix for the current security situation.
Another counter-terrorism/development initiative that we feel holds promise in remedying the underlying causes of militancy in the region is the "Reconstruction Opportunity Zones" legislation introduced in the Senate by Senator Maria Cantwell and in the House by Representative Chris Van Hollen, which provides trade incentives for exporters in Afghanistan and the border regions of Pakistan. There is direct correlative evidence that in the areas in which there is industry and job availability those areas are simultaneously lowest in militant activity. For this reason we urge your support of the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones legislation as well as an expansion of the current FATA Security Development Plan.
Finally, the last point we would like to address is the rhetoric of militant "safe havens" in Pakistan. The US must refrain from any type of insinuation that Pakistan is providing any type of safe haven to militants. Instead, the opposite is true. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, more al Qaeda terrorist suspects have been apprehended in Pakistan than in any other country, including Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, and Abu Faraj al-Libi. Moreover, over 1200 Pakistani troops have given their lives in the War on Terror and there are over 100,000 Pakistani soldiers currently stationed in the affected areas ready to do the same.
In response to recent Afghan accusations that Pakistan is not doing enough to prevent militants from crossing into Afghanistan it must be noted that currently Pakistan maintains 970 checkpoints along the Pakistani side of the 1,000 mile long border as compared to only 100 checkpoints on the Afghan side; a ratio of almost ten to one. Further, Pakistan's proposal to build a border fence between the two nations to prevent cross-border militant activity was rejected by Afghan President Hamid Karzai over concerns that the fence would divide Pashtun tribes that span the border.
Recognizing the sacrifices already made by Pakistan in the War on Terror and supporting their ongoing efforts will go a long way in fostering a continuing and positive US-Pakistan relationship.
To reiterate, we are asking for:
1. The US to respect the territorial sovereignty of Pakistan. This means a complete prohibition of unilateral strikes, cross-border shelling into Pakistan and any troop presence including through hot pursuit.
2. Continued capacity-building assistance for Pakistani counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency forces to create an indigenous force that will be able to effectively counter militancy in a sustained manner.
3. Greater coordination and intelligence sharing between US/NATO forces, Afghan forces and Pakistani forces.
4. Support for development initiatives particularly Senator Biden's "Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2008," and the "Reconstruction Opportunity Zones" legislation. Also an expansion of the FATA Security Development Plan.
5. An elimination of "safe haven" rhetoric to be replaced with recognition of Pakistani sacrifices and ongoing efforts to combat militancy within the affected areas.
These steps will form the basis for a secure America and a strong and stable ally in Pakistan. Pakistan is often considered as the lynchpin in the region. If America can build a relationship with Pakistan based on partnership, prosperity and mutual friendship the entire region will follow.
We appreciate you taking these views into consideration.
Sincerely,
The Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C)
Pakistani American Leadership Center
Congressional House Building
236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Ph: 202-675-2004
E-mail: taha@pal-c.org
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