1 Attachment(s)
Pakistan and Arab World: Security Cooperation
Events in the Yemen and the coalition response has for a moment brought the Pakistani relationship with Arab friends to the fore. It appears the coalition, in particular expect Saudi Arabia expects Pakistan to provide "boots on the ground".
Hamid Hussain, an occasional SWC contributor, who watches events from the USA, has this comment:
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I can guess from some questions asked from me that a lively debate going on in Pakistan about Saudi request for cooperation of Pakistan in Yemeni theatre.
In 2010, I saw some early signs of a trend and in 2011, wrote a piece to give some background about the issue. A very well informed Saudi then serving at a very senior position under Prince Bandar at newly created Saudi National Security Council was very upset with me (I had done some earlier work on internal dynamics of the ruling family and other issues facing Saudi Arabia and that may be contributing factor). I explained to him the nature of my sources and asked him to point to any factual errors but he never explained. He rather gave a general comment that ‘who else Pakistan can count on except Saudi Arabia’. Unfortunately, in the absence of a culture of diligent research in Pakistan even in academia, folk lore and drawing room chit chat and mess talk is passed on as history confusing many.
The most misunderstood chapter is Pakistan’s role in Jordan in 1970. Only Pakistani combat troops involved were a small detachment of anti air craft guns and this detachment was sent not protect Jordan from Israelis. King Hussain was concerned that Syrian or possibly Iraqi air force may act in support of Palestinians planning to overthrow him and that is why he specifically requested it from Pakistan. I have highlighted the text in bold that answers some specific questions such as role of General Zia ul Haq in Jordan in 1970.
My next project was to work on Oman as it is a peculiar case where Baluch citizens of Pakistan serve their full military careers in the security forces of Oman including officer corps. However, some who had great insight of the subject decided to keep quite and I had to shelve the project.
Attached is a background paper written in July 2011, on historical security cooperation.
UAE warns Pakistan of ‘heavy price for ambiguous stand’ on Yemen
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Speaking to renowned Emirati newspaper Khaleej Times, Garhash warned Pakistan of having to pay a “heavy price” for taking on what he called an “ambiguous stand”. He added that Pakistan should take a clear position “in favour of its strategic relations with the six-nation Arab Gulf cooperation Council”.
“The Arabian Gulf is in a dangerous confrontation, its strategic security is on the edge, and the moment of truth distinguishes between the real ally and the ally of media and statements,”
http://www.dawn.com/news/1175284/uae...stand-on-yemen
Avoiding risk for one means risk for others
The NYT op-ed 'Pakistan, the Saudis’ Indispensable Nuclear Partner' by:
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Pervez Hoodbhoy is a professor of physics and mathematics. He teaches at Forman Christian College in Lahore and Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad.
Link:http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/22/op...ani-rift.html?
Near the start he writes:
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The recent deterioration of Pakistan’s ties with its Arab benefactors, even if it turns out to be temporary, is unprecedented.
He ends with:
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Except that now Saudi Arabia, which is too rich to be ignored yet too weak to defend itself, has reason to fear that Pakistan, its indispensable nuclear partner, might no longer simply follow its diktats.
Historical note on KSA-Pakistani links
I have seen references to the historical and this thread often has posts on the sometimes supportive role Pakistan plays now in Saudi security. So thanks to a "lurker":
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In the aftermath of the 1979 takeover of the Grand Mosque in Mecca by extremists, Saudi Arabia was looking for foreign troops from a Muslim country to address its internal security dilemma.
On return, the delegation recommended to General Zia ul Haq that Pakistan should only send advisors and trainers, but no combat troops should be sent to Saudi Arabia as this will complicate Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia’s neighbors. Zia overruled and agreed to deployment of a large Pakistani contingent.
Saudi Arabia was looking at this contingent from mainly internal security point of view and they wanted operational and administrative control of the contingent. Kallue was of the view that a Pakistani officer should be the overall commander of the Pakistani force and on this issue he did not go to Riyadh. In 1982, a formal agreement was signed and Saudi Pakistan Armed Forces Organization (SPAFO) headquarters was established at Riyadh. Pakistani troops were stationed at different locations in the kingdom and numbered about 17,000.
An enlarged armoured brigade consisting of three armoured regiments, one armoured infantry battalion, one artillery regiment and other supporting elements was stationed at Tabuk. …An anti-air craft regiment as well as an artillery regiment were stationed at Khamis Mushayet while technical and EME elements were stationed at Taif. In addition, trainers from the Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy were also stationed in Saudi Arabia.
Taken from the Pakistani Defence Journal, October 2016
Pakistani General to head KSA-led coalition
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General Raheel Sharif, the former Pakistani army chief, will now head the Saudi Arabia-led 39-nation military coalition formed to serve as a platform for security cooperation and combat terrorism.
The decision to appoint Gen (retd) Raheel, who retired in November 2016, was taken after taking the incumbent government into confidence, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said yesterday.
Link:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistans-ex-army-chief-joins-saudi-arabia-led-military-coalition/articleshow/56391182.cms?
Asia's quiet superpower: the Pakistan Army
An interesting title in an on-line news site: 'Asia's quiet superpower: Pakistan Army’s teetering balance between Saudi and Iran'.
When I first read the (below) extract I laughed; the Pakistani Army has not won a single war and has followed at times a strategy of embracing the Afghan Taliban and some of its own terrorists. Hardly a prospectus that IMHO would encourage any Arab ruler to embrace them.
Anyway the extract:
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With a Pakistani general leading a Saudi-led terror fighting force, Islamabad has the chance once again to be the region’s final guarantor.
When one thinks of the Pakistan Army, one does not instinctively think of a force that is relevant to conflicts in the Middle East. Yet increasingly – and without actually being involved in any operations - it is the most influential military in the region.
Link:http://www.middleeasteye.net/columns...iran-903452261
The author Kamal Alam is a Pakistani Visiting Fellow @ RUSI (London) and his slim bio is:https://rusi.org/people/alam
Have I missed the deployment of troops, planes and more from Pakistan to the region? I'd wager there are more Western "infidels" in situ than Pakistani military. The author though writes:
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After the fall of Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi army, and Iran’s rising influence across the Middle East, the Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, have looked to Pakistan as the final guarantor.