Rumours are afloat that the US diplomatic enclave in Pakistan is going to be the biggest in the world. To achieve this, the US has acquired from the Government of Pakistan 18 acres of land in Islamabad for building their chancery to house their staff and also provide accommodation for a garrison of hundred of marines. It is an alarming development because having a foreign garrison permanently stationed in the capital amounts to a state within a state undermining Pakistan's sovereignty. American consulates in Karachi and Lahore are already being upgraded and in Peshawar the only five-star hotel is in the process of being taken over for expanding the consulate there. Lately, there has been an influx into Pakistan of American officialdom led by Mr Holbrooke. They included prominent congressmen, senators, directors of CIA, FBI and National Security besides the US military top brass. It is often said that Holbrooke spends more time in Pakistan than in his home country. Eschewing all diplomatic and political norms, he visits different NGO's, opposition political leaders and even schools. Why this sudden affection for Pakistan? Undoubtedly, there is a purpose behind it. One aspect is that the US presently being the only superpower in the world is determined to maintain its position at all costs. After the Iraq debacle and now the war in Afghanistan not going their way, they need a more stable and firmer base to oversee and operate against China, Russia and Iran. Therefore, America finds Pakistan's geo-strategic location ideal for this purpose. Moreover, the US administration has opted for a micro-management policy in Pakistan and its officials are interacting with the heads in every ministry which is of their interest. They are also taking advantage of a covert understanding between Musharraf and the US that Americans in uniform were "exempted from visa formalities and they can come and leave Pakistan at will" and in any number. Pakistan thus does not and will not know who and how many Americans in uniform are lodged at anyone time in the country. The other angle is the dubious activities of the private military contractors, Blackwater (renamed Xe Services LLC DynCorp), in recruiting and training anti-terror private security force ostensibly to guard American diplomats. This is causing alarm amongst the public and politicians alike in Pakistan. According to a report by Mark Mazzetti in the New York Times on August 20, 2009: "The CIA in 2004 hired operatives from the private security contractor Blackwater as part of a secret programme to locate and assassinate top operatives of Al-Qaeda." It is also reported that Musharraf had permitted Blackwater to carry out operations in the cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Quetta. In the light of this report, the arrival in Pakistan on November 04, 2009 of 202 Blackwater personnel from Heathrow Airport by PIA Flight PK 786 is significant. These Blackwater personnel who speak Urdu fluently are ostensibly hired to guard American diplomats, however, there is more to it. Recently, some former SSG commandos have also come up with horrific stories about these contractors recruiting and training young men at Sihala Police Training College. These commandos now in the service of the US contractors were unaware of the objectives they were hired for, but have been trained for the 'UNEXPECTED'. Besides this, Blackwater has also established a number of check posts in the villages around Kahuta. How and for what purpose are these check posts being used for is not known. It is a known fact that the US had always been against Pakistan going nuclear. They tried their utmost to dissuade Bhutto but failed and "made a horrible example of him." After Pakistan's blasts in 1989 they stopped all aid through the Pressler Amendment; later they tried to persuade successive governments of Pakistan to freeze the nuclear programme and failed again. After changing their strategy the Americans are now creating conditions and also exaggerating imaginary fears of Pakistan's nuclear assets falling into the hands of the Taliban. On this pretext, the CIA/Pentagon is covertly using Blackwater contractors to encircle Pakistan's nuclear arsenal for any abrupt action. These high profile US activities in Pakistan have generated much public resentment and the American ambassador had to come out with a strong rebuttal. The ambassador gave her side of the story in a press briefing held on August 28, 2009. The versions of the two sides (US and Pakistan) are at extreme variance and cannot be reconciled. One of the two is obviously bluffing and the question is 'who'? I, for one, believe that the ambassador is not telling the 'whole' truth. The projected massive American diplomatic and marine presence in Pakistan - their so-called friendly interactions with the ministries of their interest, dole through Kerry-Lugar Bill and the latest ploy of initiating $5 billion Marshal Plan for Pakistan to rebuild its shattered economy - and these secret Blackwater antics as far as Pakistan is concerned lead to one inevitable conclusion: Pakistan is being thrown back 200 years in history when the British ousted the Mughals in the subcontinent. However, the difference being that at that time the British, who came to India as traders in the name of East India Company, begged the Mughal monarchs for audience to seek permission to trade in India, but now Pakistan with a begging bowl once again is willing to play mercenary to the tunes of the US. It is the same old game of US dollars and arms, and Pakistan repaying in kind - the usual "hire purchase" common amongst the two countries but with a difference. Now politically, diplomatically and physically on the ground the Americans will be on firmer footings and will dictate terms. They will use Pakistan as a 'ghost state', all in American interests. Intellectuals, critics, most politicians and the public is much agitated at the growing American interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan and the new developing scenario because of the projected marines deployment and antics of Blackwater. But, then what are the options for Pakistan? One: revolt against the American designs of using Pakistan as a 'ghost state; Two: as the proverb goes, "if it is inevitable then relax and bow to the inevitable." The last option will be a disaster. The choice is yours. I, for one, will revolt because sovereignty has no price tag. The writer is former ADC to the Quaid-i-Azam.