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Pakistan
Collapse of Pakistan's Security System
Pakistan's tie to the United States was a product of the post-World
War II communist containment strategy and the fear of Soviet expansionism.
By the end of the 1950s, a number of factors had changed--some
to Pakistan's advantage, but others not. The positive factor was
the emergence of China as an independent international actor at
odds with both the Soviet Union and India, thereby creating new
policy options for Pakistan. Less favorable was a decline in international
tensions that reduced the United States preoccupation with containment
and, hence, Pakistan's value. At the same time, the Eisenhower
administration was seeking to reclaim some of the ground it had
lost with India, and this trend was strengthened as tensions grew
between New Delhi and Beijing, Washington's principal bête-noire
of the time.
Pakistan was able to profit from Sino-Indian hostility by securing
China as an additional source of support, but ties to Beijing
were anathema to Washington and caused serious problems in United
States-Pakistan relations during the 1960s. Rapprochement between
New Delhi and Washington also caused deep concern. Pakistan was
appalled when, at the time of the SinoIndian War in 1962, the
United States rushed to rearm India without meeting Pakistan's
demands that assistance be coupled with effective pressure to
force India to settle the Kashmir dispute. The United States reassured
Pakistan that India was not arming against Pakistan, but Pakistan
realized that the external equalizer it had brought into the subcontinent
to make up its security deficit would now be devalued as the United
States, at best, played an even-handed role or, at worst, shifted
its principal attention to India.
The security situation deteriorated still further as India, which
had hitherto spent relatively little on defense, engaged in a
major buildup of forces that were primarily aimed at China but
could as readily be turned against Pakistan. In addition, after
1964 India took a series of steps to incorporate Kashmir more
closely into the Indian union, rendering less likely any negotiations
on the matter with Pakistan. Under the circumstances, Pakistan
decided that its chances of gaining Kashmir would only deteriorate;
hence, it opted for early action.
Data as of April 1994
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