Assalam Alaikum,

Well, most of everything is covered with this very well written article, but if you allow me, I would like to share my views on the topic,:

From the Independence, Pakistan's policy is been to look to others to shape its foreign policy. And then there is a threat of India, that really made things really difficult for our country to grasp the situation.

But one needs to learn from History, otherwise history keeps repeating itself, and that is been the case with Pakistan. Let me ellaborate on this issue a bit more, Pakistan realizing the threat to India always tried to made strong relations with the West, signed many pacts, and literally bent backwards to do everything in its power to keep'em happy. So what makes us think India was not doing the same, well it was.

And that was the reason, even being member of SEATO treaty, during the war of 1965 not one western nation came to help Pakistan when it needed the most. Same happened during 1971, and by some accounts these darling westen allies at some point gave India a free hand in its interference that resulted the Separation of EAST WEST Pakistan.

In 1980's, pakistan was in a situation of being between rock and a hard place, and decided to help its neighbor countrymen, and left itself literally naked to the warms and colds of the Cold War. Well, Pakistan at many occasions in that era tried facilitating a peaceful settlement, but pakistan was merely a pawn in the bigger picture, and the harm was done. As a result, the American made once Jihadist turned terrorist to their former master, and guess who had to pay the price, Pakistan.

Same happened with Kargil, where America called the Prime Minister of a Sovereign nation of pakistan to Washington in a manner, where the president call his cabinet member to his office to offer him piece of his brains. India was clearly a winner in that situation. As for Pakistan, after 9/11 its military and intelligence agencies are nabbing people left and right to stuff them in American C 130 planes to be later taken to indisclosed destination, without even their day in the court in their own country.

This was a summary of what we did for the western Powers, now let us examine what they gave us in return. Some promises that were either broken or remains to be fulfilled, like the matter of F-16 fighter jets. Whole lot of economic chaos, when the soviets were defeated and America left pakistan dry, to deal with its so called internal problems. The embargoes, a prize we paid to a self deterrence against India, and more importantly Pakistan as a nation that failed to deliver to its people, because it was busy delivering it to Super powers.

Whereas India, they got more that what they bargained for, they get to keep Kashmir, economic boost, foreign investment as well as outsourcing jobs be relocated to India, and more recently a nuclear pact, with Washington. By the way, if washington claims our President to be a good friend and an ally and gives him nothing, so it leaves me with the impression that Mr. Manmohan Singh must be Bush's brown brother. Because only brother can get preference over a friend.

Coming back to the issue of Pakistan and China friendship, well the cold war is over, but more importantly the war of Global economy has begun. Therefore, Pakistan is no longer valid unless it build economically. What Pakistan needs is a revision in its foreign policiy to the need of 21 century, and emerge as a viable state, therefore should sought the help of friends who were previously there in the past, when we needed them.

I firmly believe, that Paksitan has just a fraction of a value of gains by keeping up with US, because US can discard us at anytime when the need arises. But, China on the other hand is our neighbor, we have somewhat same geo-political and geo-economical issues as China, to maintain the balance in this new war of global economy against India. Just like we worked hard to become nuclear nation to save our country, we should once more rise to the occasion.
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Well, I just tried to reiterate the need for pakistan to renew its friendship with China with a different perspective. Hope you guys find it useful, and certainly open for corrections and criticism.

Thanks.