Even as we work with Pakistan to ensure that 2014 is not a repeat of 1989, we are not myopically focused on December 2014.
Instead, we continue to look over the horizon. We see a Pakistan and a region that will continue to grow in importance… 2014
is not 1989. The United States recognises the mistakes of the past, and will not disengage from the region.
–Ambassador Richard Olson in Islamabad, January 2013.
The general sentiment about the First Afghan War has been that once the USSR was defeated, the US turned its back on the region and left Pakistan with troubles jihadis who had not been debriefed and rehabilitated. In 2013, Ambassador Richard Olson reflected on this and assured Pakistan of continued support. Yet, today, the Coalition Support Funds have dried up for Pakistan. However, troops were supposed to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2015, but due to security challenges, the troops will remain till 2017. What is unfortunate is that, as much as we would like the US to stop meddling in in our country, we need its money and military support to do our jobs better- in fact, we have demanded that the CSF continue. The Taliban have become a force to be reckoned with in Afghanistan and the Afghan army, trained by US forces, is still ill suited to deal with its country’s security. If nothing else, at least there is some responsibility being taken by the US for its role in today’s security situation.