{ "id": "R41832", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R41832", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 413396, "date": "2012-05-24", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T21:46:02.763966", "title": "Pakistan-U.S. Relations", "summary": "In a security alliance since 2004 and \u201cstrategic partners\u201d since 2006, the United States and Pakistan for decades experienced major shifts in the nature and tone of their relations. In the post-9/11 period, assisting in the creation of a more stable, democratic, and prosperous Pakistan actively combating religious militancy has been among the most important U.S. foreign policy efforts. Vital U.S. interests are seen to be at stake in its engagement with Pakistan related to regional and global terrorism; efforts to stabilize neighboring Afghanistan; nuclear weapons proliferation; links between Pakistan and indigenous American terrorism; Pakistan-India tensions and conflict; democratization and human rights protection; and economic development. As a haven for numerous Islamist extremist and terrorist groups, and as the world\u2019s most rapid proliferator of nuclear weapons, Pakistan presents a combination that places it at the top of many governments\u2019 international security agendas.\nThe May 2011 revelation that Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden had enjoyed apparently years-long and relatively comfortable refuge inside Pakistan led to intensive U.S. government scrutiny of the bilateral relationship, and sparked much congressional questioning of the wisdom of providing significant U.S. foreign assistance to a government and nation that may not have the intention and/or capacity to be an effective U.S. partner. Although Obama Administration officials and most senior congressional leaders spent most of 2011 consistently recognizing Pakistan as a crucial ally in U.S.-led counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts, long-held doubts about Islamabad\u2019s commitment to core U.S. interests deepened over the course of the year. The Pakistani military and intelligence services are seen to be too willing to distinguish among Islamist extremist groups, maintaining links to Afghan insurgent and anti-India militant organizations operating from Pakistani territory as a means of forwarding Pakistani\u2019s perceived security interests. \nU.S.-Pakistan relations are fluid at present, but running a clearly negative course: still based on several national interests shared by both countries, yet marked by levels of mutual distrust and resentment that are likely to catalyze a new set of assumptions for future ties. The tenor of interactions has been increasingly negative in a slide predating a series of crises in 2011. These included a CIA operative shooting dead two Pakistanis in Lahore, bin Laden\u2019s killing, suspension of most bilateral security cooperation, a spike in Haqqani Network attacks in Afghanistan, and an incident in which two dozen Pakistani soldiers were inadvertently killed by NATO aircraft. The latter calamity led Pakistan to shut down NATO\u2019s road access to Afghanistan and demand an apology that has not been forthcoming in intervening months. Access remains closed to date. \nPakistan is among the leading recipients of U.S. aid in the post-9/11 period, having been appropriated about $24 billion in assistance and military reimbursements since 2001. FY2013 legislation in the 112th Congress would cut U.S. assistance funding significantly from both the levels requested by the Administration and from those Congress approved for FY2012. Provisions also would introduce more rigorous restrictions and certification requirements on such aid. With anti-American sentiments and xenophobic conspiracy theories rife among ordinary Pakistanis, persistent economic travails and a precarious political setting combine to present serious challenges to U.S. decision makers. This report will be updated periodically. See also CRS Report R41856, Pakistan: U.S. Foreign Assistance, and CRS Report R42116, Pakistan: U.S. Foreign Aid Conditions, Restrictions, and Reporting Requirements, both by Susan B. Epstein and K. Alan Kronstadt; and CRS Report RL34248, Pakistan\u2019s Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues, by Paul K. Kerr and Mary Beth Nikitin.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R41832", "sha1": "4e4bae1caa1c884192eff45a2c9e58cff5362ef1", "filename": "files/20120524_R41832_4e4bae1caa1c884192eff45a2c9e58cff5362ef1.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R41832", "sha1": "35766e178ed751e222e53531a98698a4a13d7bc6", "filename": "files/20120524_R41832_35766e178ed751e222e53531a98698a4a13d7bc6.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 468, "name": "South Asia" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc83965/", "id": "R41832_2011Oct21", "date": "2011-10-21", "retrieved": "2012-04-27T15:49:45", "title": "Pakistan-U.S. Relations: A Summary", "summary": "This report summarizes important recent developments in Pakistan and in Pakistan-U.S. relations. Obama Administration engagement with Pakistan has been seriously disrupted by recent events. A brief analysis of the current state of Pakistan-U.S. relations illuminates the main areas of contention and uncertainty. Vital U.S. interests related to links between Pakistan and indigenous American terrorism, Islamist militancy in Pakistan and Islamabad's policies toward the Afghan insurgency, Pakistan's relations with historic rival India, nuclear weapons proliferation and security, and the troubled status of Pakistan's domestic setting are reviewed. Ongoing human rights concerns and U.S. foreign assistance programs for Pakistan are briefly summarized, and the report closes with an analysis of current U.S.-Pakistan relations.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20111021_R41832_ef556c2239aa5fd32200d8407a373fdc51cf5501.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20111021_R41832_ef556c2239aa5fd32200d8407a373fdc51cf5501.html", "source": "pymupdf" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Pakistan", "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Pakistan" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - Pakistan - U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations - Pakistan - U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International relations", "name": "International relations" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress and foreign policy", "name": "Congress and foreign policy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc40168/", "id": "R41832_2011May16", "date": "2011-05-16", "retrieved": "2011-08-27T10:13:38", "title": "Pakistan-U.S. Relations: A Summary", "summary": "This report summarizes important recent developments in Pakistan and in Pakistan-U.S. relations. These include high-profile political assassinations earlier in 2011, the Raymond Davis affair involving a CIA operative accused of murder in the city of Lahore, and the May killing of Osama bin Laden in the military cantonment city of Abbottabad, among others. Obama Administration engagement with Pakistan has been seriously disrupted by recent events. A brief analysis of the current state of Pakistan-U.S. relations illuminates the main areas of contention and uncertainty. Vital U.S. interests related to links between Pakistan and indigenous American terrorism, Islamist militancy in Pakistan and Islamabad's policies toward the Afghan insurgency, Pakistan's relations with historic rival India, nuclear weapons proliferation and security, and the troubled status of Pakistan's domestic setting are reviewed. Ongoing human rights concerns are briefly summarized, and the report closes with discussion of U.S. foreign assistance to Pakistan.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110516_R41832_e995310c3bcf5dadc9c01326930d33a2aa2ac7a7.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110516_R41832_e995310c3bcf5dadc9c01326930d33a2aa2ac7a7.html", "source": "pymupdf" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations", "name": "Foreign relations" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy - United States - Pakistan", "name": "Foreign policy - United States - Pakistan" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International relations", "name": "International relations" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress and foreign policy", "name": "Congress and foreign policy" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Foreign Affairs", "Intelligence and National Security", "National Defense" ] }