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[Oersted]

As the Trump administration plots its policy toward a key partner, it will find Pakistan being drawn deeper into Beijing's embrace and its promise of $46 billion in energy, infrastructure and industry investments by 2030. The money could transform the Muslim nation's economy.

"I get the sense that we are the dispensable ally once again," Bilalwal Bhutto, a Pakistani opposition party leader and son of the slain former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, said during a recent visit to Washington.

U.S. assistance to Pakistan has been declining since 2011 when American commandos killed Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan, straining relations. And as the U.S. troop presence in neighboring Afghanistan has shrunk, Pakistan has become a lower priority. Aid could decline further as President Donald Trump proposes drastic cuts to diplomacy and foreign aid budgets.

On the economic front, U.S. assistance has failed to leave a "footprint" like China's investment, said Ishrat Hussain, a former Pakistani central bank governor.

Hussain said the benefits of China's investment will take at least a couple of years to be felt but could end power outages that have crippled industry and establish road and rail links to spur the nation's neglected western flank. He urged America to focus on fostering science and technology in Pakistan.

More here

https://apnews.com/1f313646d99a407ba3dac5fa116899de

Lock if old

 

[themadcowtipper]

Don't blame Trump, our realationship with them was going South before he became President. Alas as easy as it is to blame him, he is not the cause of everything.

 

[slider]

I thought China and Pakistan had always been relatively close. India being a strategic rival to both (for different reasons I guess).

Dunno what the Chinese investment profile has looked like but they (the Chinese) do like infrastructure projects. There was a big port near Karachi I think which, and I'm totally guessing here, wouldn't have happened without Chinese input.

Someone fill in the blanks, I'm putting my son to bed and obviously don't know the details.

 

[Buba Big Guns]

This has been happening for a while now. China is pretty much Pakistan's closest ally.

 

[Kayhan]

Good luck, China.

 

[Karamsoul]

This has been happening for a while now. China is pretty much Pakistan's closest ally.

Absolutely true. This relationship has been close for several decades, going back to the 70's even.

 

[Oersted]

Don't blame Trump, our realationship with them was going South before he became President. Alas as easy as it is to blame him, he is not the cause of everything.

U.S. assistance to Pakistan has been declining since 2011 when American commandos killed Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan, straining relations. And as the U.S. troop presence in neighboring Afghanistan has shrunk, Pakistan has become a lower priority. Aid could decline further as President Donald Trump proposes drastic cuts to diplomacy and foreign aid budgets.

Read?

 

[themadcowtipper]

Read?

Yes been incline since 2011, but what you quoted in the main post mentions Trump twice. Seems pointless we haven't been cozy with them for awhile,Trump looks to continue that trend.

 

[Oersted]

Yes been incline since 2011, but what you quoted in the main post mentions Trump twice. Seems pointless we haven't been cozy with them for awhile,Trump looks to continue that trend.

Someone who swears to make a country great again would normally try to improve ties and increase influence, not accelerate the opposite.

 

[Gallbaro]

So we are not bribing their ruling class enough with "US Aid" note that Osama is dead.

 

[kmfdmpig]

Pakistan let China examine the crashed stealth chopper from the Bin Laden raid (which still seems hard to believe that no one in Pakistan knew he was living there), so it's hard to feel bad for them if they feel like they're not treated as a valued ally. They certainly don't act like a valuable ally.

 

[themadcowtipper]

Someone who swears to make a country great again would normally try to improve ties and increase influence, not accelerate the opposite.

Yet our relantionship has been whacky since 2011 according to the article posted. I hate the man, but how is this Trump fault.

 

[nampad]

Pakistan:

"Friendship ended with the USA. Now China is my best friend.”