Mixed feelings over 'major non-Nato ally' designation
The surprise announcement by American officials last week to designate Pakistan as a major non-Nato ally has been met with widespread acclaim that only partially masked a deep mistrust many in Pakistan have for the global superpower.
'Pakistan's strategic importance to the region and the world has not been on such full display since the early days of the cold war when Pakistani leadership allied itself with America,' Islamabad-based defence analyst Mohammad Bokhari said. 'The US decision is concrete example of that.'
The coveted status paves the way for greater military co-operation, including the ability to purchase weaponry, but does not confer the mutual defence and security guarantees that accompany full Nato membership.
'If it helps increase our capabilities, then it is a good thing,' one military official said. 'But one is left with the uneasy feeling that the Bush administration is more rewarding a pet for good behaviour than honouring the contribution of a partner.'
Soon after gaining independence in 1947, Pakistan firmly allied itself with the western powers, reaffirming its commitment to democracy. Pakistan allowed the US to base spy planes on its territory during the cold war and became the major staging base for the Afghan war against Soviet occupation in the 1980s.
