It was coming anyway Most Pakistanis had little doubt that once the Americans achieve their objective in Afghanistan or get weary of fighting the resistance or have a feel of impending defeat, and plan to leave the country, they would find some excuse to show their frustration with Pakistan. That would be a convenient ploy to wriggle out of their oft-repeated overture of long-lasting friendship and the obligations that go with it. The following American measures reflect that frustration. Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican from California, proposed an amendment that would have barred any US funds to provide assistance to Pakistan, though it was rejected by a US Congress panel on Thursday. The US administration announced some time ago that it was withholding $800 million out of the military aid. The present bill, if made into law, would necessitate certification by the Secretary of State to the effect that Pakistan is making measurable progress towards fighting militants, before aid could be given. And with the hostile mood currently prevailing in Washington such a certification would be hard to get. A suitable scenario to take Pakistan to task was being built up. While do more has been a command or counsel as old as the US began to feel that the NATO forces were not up to the mark in beating down the militancy in Afghanistan, the US reaction to certain recent events serves to underline Washingtons decision to tighten the screw on Pakistan so that it buckles under and acts even putting its national interests at stake. General David Petraeus, till recently the commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan and soon to take over as CIAs chief, wants Pakistan to militarily move against Al-Qaeda (Haqqani group) network in North Waziristan and the Taliban in Balochistan. Pakistan does not regard the Haqqani group as hostile and discounts the existence of Taliban leadership in Balochistan. The Americans made no attempt to offer their regrets for deliberately violating Pakistans sovereignty; instead, President Obama, speaking soon after Islamabad protested at the clandestine raid at Abbottabad, said that the US would act unilaterally again, if required. Petraeus continues to see it as an extraordinary success and is, perhaps, surprised why Islamabad considers it an affront to their national sovereignty. Pakistan had also suffered another humiliation at the hands of the US when killer Raymond Davis was whisked away from the country. The Pak-US relations, hardly friendly before, became further strained. It is the earnest hope of every patriotic Pakistani that the government and the armed forces will keep their resolve of living on our own resources and would do nothing that could harm our core interests. The nation is ready to make any sacrifice to preserve national honour and dignity and believes that the present predicament should be taken as a God-send to get out of the economic stranglehold of the US.