Pak Tea House » Pakistan, USA » A study of Anti-Americanism in Pakistan – Part 1
A study of Anti-Americanism in Pakistan – Part 1
by Abdul Majeed Abid
“Yours is a great country with enormous resources of wealth, experience and technical skill. We, who believe in individual initiative, effort and enterprise do not believe that the era of private ownership is over. But we do believe that we have entered upon an era when capital should come out of its shell and move in the spheres of international social objectives and move on from exploitation to production.
Your country fought for its own independence once. You have been great exponents and the jealous guardians of freedom. Words from your Declaration of Independence and your constitution have inspired men in far-off lands. You have shown to the world what human effort can do for human welfare. You have no colonies and I believe no territorial ambitions. Has not your history therefore equipped you more than most nations to be among the leading architects of the enlightened internationalism of the future?”
(Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan’s speech at Berkley University, May 16th, 1950)
Every year, thousands of bright and young Pakistani students apply for admission to colleges in the United States of America. A few hundred of them are finally selected and even fewer students actually make it to the US for college education. Hundreds of thousands of people from Pakistan apply for a US Visa every year; most of them want to go there just for a job. Thousands of doctors, engineers, lawyers and businessmen from Pakistan have permanently settled in the US and are contributing to the country’s economy by sending remittances. Financially, US has helped only Israel more than Pakistan in the last 60 years.
American money began flowing into Pakistan in 1954, when a mutual defense agreement was signed.According to the agreement, Washinton agreed to provide a military and economic aid program to Pakistan worth 105 Million Dollars a year. By 1957, the covert U.S military commitment to Pakistan had grown to 500 Million dollars a year(Dennis Kux, The United States and Pakistan, 1947-2000:disenchanted Allies, Woordow Wilson Press, 2001) Under Ronald Reagan, U.S. aid nearly quintupled: about three billion dollars in economic assistance and two billion in military aid. The U.S. provided over $11billion in aid to Pakistan since 2001. In 2010, $4.5 billion-one of the largest amounts ever given to a foreign country-aid was given to Pakistan. United States is redirecting another $50 million to flood aid from earlier projects. (Lawrence Wright, The NewYorker, 16 May 2011)
Despite all the above mentioned facts, the first thing that a Pakistani thinks in case of a national tragedy is that ‘America is behind that tragedy’. A survey for international broadcaster al Jazeera by Gallup Pakistan found that 59 percent of Pakistanis felt the greatest threat to the country was the United States. A separate survey by the Pew Research Center, an independent pollster based in Washington, recorded that 64 percent of the Pakistani public regards the U.S. “as an enemy” and only 9 percent believe it to be a partner.
Cultural Critic, Nadeem F Paracha writes, “the present-day phenomenon in this context has become an obligatory part of populist rhetoric in which American involvement is blamed for everything — from terrorist attacks, to the energy crises, to perhaps even the break of dengue fever!”.
Tufail Ahmed (Director of South Asia Studies Project at the Middle East Media Research Institute, Washington DC) in his article for viewpointonline, noted that “Anti-Americanism is one of several dominant narratives that have taken hold over mass consciousness in Pakistan. Anti-Americanism has emerged as an ideology, as an overriding system of ideas. Writers, politicians and commentators frequently use the ideology of anti-Americanism, sometimes intentionally and mostly unintentionally, to explain the causes of various problems in terms of America’s international role. As a dominant perspective, anti-Americanism has come to acquire an autonomous reality of its own. It hegemonizes minds and prevents people from seeing facts as they exist.”
A lot of research has been done to understand this tricky relationship between the United States and Pakistan’s people despite the former’s largesse towards the country.
According to a research paper written by Dr Talukder Muniruzaman in 1971 on the politics of young Pakistanis, a majority of Pakistanis viewed America positively and admiringly in the 1950s.
The paper also suggests that right up until Pakistan’s 1965 war with India, most Pakistanis saw America as a friend, especially in the context of the Soviet Union’s close ties with India.
According to another paper published by Chicago University in 1983, on the ideological orientation of Pakistan’s university students by Kiren Aziz and Peter McDonough, anti-Americanism among most Pakistanis remained low even during the celebrated movement (in 1967-68) against the Ayub Khan dictatorship – in spite of the fact that the movement was largely led by leftist students, activists and politicians.
Professor Vali Nasr in his book, ‘Vanguards of the Islamic Revolution’ writes that the religious parties (especially JI) began attributing the Pakistan Army’s defeat in 1971 to the ‘decadence and debauchery of men like General Yahya Khan’ and due to ‘Pakistanis’ failure to become good Muslims.’ However before that, a large number of Pakistanis began blaming the US because it had ‘failed to help Pakistan in the war.’
(continued)
Filed under: Pakistan, USA · Tags: America, anti-americanism, Pakistan, Vali Nasr, visa
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Pakistanis need a bogey man. Hatred for Amrikis, Jews and Hindoo is essential to provide a glue that keeps the nation bound together.
If these enemies were to disappear, some new enemy would have to be invented. that is the essence of Pakistan today.
Pakistan was founded by creating lies and hate. They were directed against the hindus. But as the population of muslims in Pakistan burst out and the hindus were exterminated, new enemies had to be invented. And also new “friends” had to be glorified.
Thus USA slowly slipped into the enemy role and China, North Korea and Saudi Arabia (all 3 fascist totalitarian nations, states and societies) became the “friends”.
The ruling elite of Pakistan are whitish-racists who wish to bootlick arabs and turks. The darker skinned common people of Pakistan (who look like indians) are reduced to poor laboreres and providers of blood-givers for the pakistani army and police.
Islam has taught lies to the pakistanis and to hate their indian brothers and bootlick arabs and turks.
Anti-americanism is part of this development. It is the height of pakistani islamic “genius”.
Anti-Americanism in Pakistan is based on a very common phenomenon – Rebuff and Rejection.
.
Generosity breeds dependence; dependence breeds contempt!
Lady Guinevere
PTH,
By deleting the part of my post, which visualizes Pakistan as a Whore, you have deleted an important aspect which deals with the psychology of the problem.
It was an analogy, but it was a perfect analogy!
@ Raj Too
we appreciate the comment but we do not allow usage of such words on this forum. there are many other ways to express your views, hope u’ll take care in the future.
@ AbdulMajeedAbid,
I think you are confusing two issues.
One is the use of vulgarity for nothing more than show others in bad light. The other is the use of vulgarity for something positive – as shock therapy. If the analogy made is a good one, then is the shock therapy also successful.
So a blanket ban on vulgarity can be disadvantageous.
For example, sexual organs can be relevant for abuse, fun or procreation. The intent matters.
Haider Ejaz is a jounalist who often uses vulgarity in his articles, often interspersed with some quotes from English literature. So it is not as if vulgarity is unknown to the Pakistani reader.
Anyway, through needless censorship you’ve marred the opportunity of your readers to appreciate important dynamics of Anti-Americanism.
@raj
I understand your point and I know what Ejaz Haider writes, but we have to draw the line somewhere. As I said earlier, your comments are welcome but moderators have a job too.
to raj
Relax boy!!!
PTH did not want prostitutes to be insulted by being compared with Pakistan.
See the famous movie Pyaasa (1957) by Guru Datta.
Wahida Rehman plays the prostitute Gulabo.
She has more dignity and humane behaviour than Pakistan.
what about america’s imperialistic agenda, would you say it doesn’t even exist?
to aneelashahzad
what about islam’s imperialistic agenda, would you say it doesn’t even exist?
to aneelashahzad
what about arabs’, turks’, pashtuns’, pakistan’s racist-imperialistic agendas, would you say they don’t even exist?
You muslims have been taught (or, pumped up with) a falsified history-narrative in which muslims are all innocent, superior, brilliant, incomparable noblemen amd non-muslims are all duds, scoundrels, criminals, cowards etc.
@aneel-shehzad
wait for the next 2 parts of this article, I have addressed your concerns..
@observ and Raj
we are deleting your comments which were more of nit-picking and less of any constructive debate, the times they are a changin at PTH.
Observ services a lot of his own nonSense.
———————————————————————-
Anyway, I do think there is not much AntiAmericanism in any AsiAN country, except the feeling of digust against rabid Racism that prevails amongst the United States bureaucRATic systems.
RACISM is the current problem Number ONE of the South as well as the North.
@abdulMajeedAbid
“the times they are a changin at PTH” – Excellent. WE do not want another chowk here
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The author has opened up a Pandora box, well done, You are genuinely feeling the pulse of not only the muslims of Pakistan but of the world. Pakistan citizens being the first one to go into the streets demanding the end of cooperation and support for the Ally, which has proven anti Islamic and inhumane since the son of a Kenyan took over the white House and the clintonians took over America’s foreign Office. Obviously, the cowboy wanted to continue to make use of the arrangements which the former military chief, now in exile, made with George W and his 3 musketeers, the aid of one of them had even threatend the great General, who ordered the attack on Red Mosque,
to bomb Pakistan to stone age. The great General, the protector and the military boss of Pakstan caved in, and forgot that the poor country of Pakistan were mostly living on grass while the mltary was piling up lethat NUKES in the storage to prevent and counter foreign aggression. He thought that the Americans were ust the brothers of Pakistan and it was just a joke in the famiy. He also confirmed this shame on CNN wih a shrug. I thoght at the time that this oerson must be the first human who has probably the mass of a brain not bigger than a wallnut with a very poor sensitiveness. A typical military officer in Pakistan?
The lady on the other hand, let loose all her sinister net works to spy on all allies regardless friend and foe, a new zionist strategy to profile members of all govts and the political spectrums of the world. The Eschelon system, monitoring the entire telephone and communication net work went into full gear. There were diplomatic unplesantness when the wilileak disclosed some and were later shrugged off by the victims and their Govts.
This is the story of the Roman decadent which like a mushroom has spread over the Imperial America; it is sad but true, the once elephant of the free world is seriouly ill and dying a very slow but painful to. The floating and ageing armada is now in the Persian gulf posiitioning itself to disarm Iran and protect Israel?
The founding fathers of this Nation were not necessarily the forefathers of all its citizens. The Nation which was the colony of the Brits., abhor colonisation, but over time it became much worst a hegemonic power, with more than five hundred bases around the world from Germany to Japan, and from the base of Aljazeera( now controlled by the zionists) to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mind you for record purpose unlike Rome it has never won a real war on its own. O’K, let us not be too hard it did defeat Nicaragua and Haiti perhaps. Not a big deal to boast of.
From the times of George W Bush the USA has been completely unmder the control of the Zionist set up. Accoding to the former President Jimmy Carter, no congressman or a senator can get elected without the approval of the jewish lobby and Israel. Therfore, Mr Obama whose father and stepfather were both muslims but was baptised as a christian, undertook to continue the crusade against the muslim Nations which George W started. Pakistan is an awkward nut, and not yet proven a hard nut to crack, but it has a weaker political and military structure, therfore the American strategist are still exploring the inroads for exploitation. Alhough the Govt. is not fully transparent, the peoplle of Pakistan and especially the youth, is becoming aware of the dignity their country has lost on account of its alliance with the unmatched partner. A country of more than 30 million evangilist christians who are openly anti-Islamic Nations including untrustworthy Pakistan. It is not only Florida where a lunatic third rate Bishop burnt the holy Quraan in an open ceremony, but now even the American military next door in Afghanistan has been burning copies of the holy book. Not to forget the video of the American soldiers forces pissing on the dead bodies of alleged Taliban fighters.
Facts are also that the Pashtun Talibans have squarely beaten the entire NATO force on the battle ground, restricting their position to a protracted site and their operations being limited to artillery fire, helicopters use and drone flying. The ship is sinking
therfore, the question therefore is, are we going to see the repeat of vietnam, once the Talban start their final assault or are we going to witness Pakistan leaders allowing the USA to use their air space and other civilian infra structures for logistics? Whatever, Pakistan undertakes that their Nation has had enough and they shall be held responsible and this time accountable for further loss of life in Pakistan!
Rex Minor
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@Rex Minor: Comments full of wisdom as usual! Well said!
Liaqat Ali Khan understood the history, but not the present and future of Americans, he obviously did not know the Anglo-Americans had plans for full spectrum dominance in the World and to establish Israel as a super power. They are willing to have World War 3 to make it true.
@Abdul : You have made some good points, bt let me point out the flaws.
1. Americans definitely help Overseas Pakistanis and provide opportunities but thier policies have always hurt the Pakistani state and Pakistanis living in Pakistan.
2. Ther aid does not trickle down to the national level and masses but ends up in the bank accounts of major politicians.
3. They give aid and weapons to our military but still do not contribute to our major military developements and they harm our national interest in the long run harming our Establishment rather than benifiting it . It is up to our politicians and establishment to end this love relationship with America and become a freind to all the nations of the world espeically its neighbours, Iran , China, Russia and Afghanistan and Central Asian states!
4. Intentionally or Unintentionally you are portraying Pakistani people as stupid, irrational and paranoid. No they are not! They should realize thier own faults and weaknesses which many do! But they also understand how international polticis plays a role in our internal situation, and the US has created a mess in Pakistan!
@mustafa
1.the policies have not “always” hurt Pakistanis, Yes, majority of times.
2. USAID right now and previously has been working at grass-root level. There now is the debate that aid is not good for countries receiving them or that it is a relic of Imperialism so I can’t defend or go against this issue. Also, the civilian aid in last 15-20 years has been going to NGOs primarily and not all, but many of them have made good use of it.
3. Our whole military apparatus in 1950s was entirely budgeted by the US, lest you forget and it was because of this improved weaponry that our “valiant” fauj attacked Kashmir in early part of 1965. Then during 1980s, another surge of new weapons all courtesy the US of A.
4. I do not want to say this but I think you sound quite like a typical Zaid Hamid follower, glorifying military, demonizing civilian Politicians, ready to form alliances with China and Iran etc etc.
Regarding your 4th point, my dear brother, Pakistani people ARE becoming increasingly paranoid and irrational. The incidence of hate crimes, religious intolerance and radicalism has risen exponentially(if you want to read about this, I recommend reading Jinnah Institute’s recent report or the research titled, “Red Hot Chilli Peppers Islam” by Dr Ayesha Siddiqa”)and believe me “they do NOT understand International polictis”, they mostly believe conspiracy theories fed to them by Urdu newspapers and popular media channels
AbdulMajeed
Give me good reason against the conspiracy theories, let me tell you how scientists think, they gather all the known facts, and link them together in the most plausible and simple way to make a theory,this is called ingenuity.
If you know the definition of a ‘superpower’, it is that ‘all others will submit to ,wiling or unwilling’.Any nation or entity daring to exercise it sovereignty outside the pleasing of the superpower is a threat. So now if the US is waging war with full military might and alliance in a number of countries, you want the “increasingly paranoid and irrational” Pakis to think that the US is doing it all to bring bliss and progress to these people, if bombing the twin towers can not be taken in any positive way then how can the culling of millions in Iraq, Afghanistan and dozens of other fronts around the world ( /wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations), muslim and non-muslim, can be justified as humane.
But people like you, who don’t mind calling a black crow white, would very well call the US a savior and an upholder of virtues because the US says so, because main stream media says so, how naive!!
For me the conspiracy is not that they are hegemonic imperialists, but the unintelligible conspiracy is the fact that they can have so many blind lovers around the world. and how about reading your words again with a rational mind and seeing how much paranoid you are in your hate against the common people of Pakistan.
@aneel-shahzad,
I asked to wait for the next 2 parts.!!! and as I predicted, you have started discussing stuff WITHOUT knowing my point of view on the issues that you are stating.!!! the third part will be up by tomorrow, u can read part 2 on PTH right now..After reading 3 parts, we’ll discuss your points.
@AbdulMajeedAbid
You have done a great service to the people of your country, as well as intellectuals to pick up this hot potato from the fire, which does not only concern Pakistan, but all other muslim countries of the world.
Regarding Mustapha point 4, you have totaly ignored the role of CIA operatives now spread in all avenues of Govt. and NGO’s establishments. Let me give you a tip, throughout history the masses of people around the world have never been irrational or obsessed with paranoid, the events you mention are the reflection of the policies of the Govt. in command. Let me try to explain also why one demonises the civilian Govt. since in a democracy they are responsible for and answerable to the people of the country. The military is not responsible to the people of the country, unless its leaders take over the civil administration by declaring a Marshall law, and thereby suspending all civil rights. Therefore, intelligentia must show prudence and cautious towards miltary at all times, simply to avoid a military takeover.
I look forward to reading the next chapter. Thanks.
Rex Minor
@Rex Minor: Again an excellent point!
@Abdul Majeed: Again here is another problem, stereotyping. Anyone who critices Government is Zaid Hamid follower and Rightist Islamist extremist. This is wrong.However I appreciate Zaid Hamid for his work, which is very useful and helpful. But that is another issue, dont want to get into useless debate of personalities.
I am not a follower, I am a researcher. I listen to Western Analysts as well as Pakstani and most of them say the same things. Is Webstar Tarpley, Alex Jones, PAul Craig Roberts (Former Reagan official), Philip Giraldi (former CIA) dangerous Jihadis and Extremists? I dont think so!
Conspiracy theory is a wrong word, more like well researched conspiracy facts with scientific evidence!
Now to adress yur points:
1. I will wiat for future articles and comment.
2. Pak Fauj does recieve a lot from US but its major armaments and developements result from Chinese projects and self made weapons from the Pakistani Military Industrial Complex.
3. What is wrong with China and Iran? What is wrong with Russia? Why not have relations with them? Why only America? IS there something wrong with diversification in Foreign Policy? Look at Turkey and Venezuala and Cuba!
4. The masses are full of different groups and people, you cant lump them all together, some are irrational most are not. People whether in US, Pakistan, China, Iran, understand thier own problems and can deal with them.
5. There is a duplicity in youur view and the views of Secular Liberals. They view suicide bombing and religious extremism correctly as wrong, but they dont point out the evils of US imperialism. They always point out the crimes of Pak Fauj but not the crime of separatist movements! Sorry but I sense a bias!
mustafa wrote:
“They view suicide bombing and religious extremism correctly as wrong, but they dont point out the evils of US imperialism.”
What about the evils of islamic, arabic, turkish and pashtuns imperialisms? Since 1400-1000 years we are facing these haughty imperialists, hate-filled ethnofascists and ruthless tribalist, machos and marauders.
You muslims don’t learn honest history. You are taught that muslims did no wrong ever and only non-muslims did or do all the injustices. How long do you wish to live in this self-deceit?
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History is not hertory – it’s never story of native motormoma rex minor who got sold to highest Arabi/Turki bidder on high platform of Baghdad based on the measurements of her boobs and butts. These beauties are merely war booties. This great contribution of Islamic culture is still surviving in Anglo world who learned such brutality and slave trade from Islamists Arabs & Turks.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2104387/Sophia-Cahill-Pregnant-glamour-model-walks-runway-naked-London-Fashion-Week.html
Americans are waking up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbVqPWVV7f4
Too long Angloes fed the poisonous green snake, be it Paki one, Saudi one or Indonesian one. Snake is biting them now. Dumb brutalized one themselves by book religions are slow at learning.
YES,why not talk about the deads, who lived their time; history is the story of time written by one or another! No more, and no less!
1)Voltaire was also known to be a virulent vagabond, an anti catholic and an antiSemit. He also said that;
Ich Spreche mit Bedauern von den Juden. Diese Nation ist, in vielerlei Beziehung, die verachtenswerteste, die Jemals die Erde beschmutzt hat. (Voltaire Le Dicttionairre Philosophique).
2) Napolean also said that just give me 100,000 soldiers of mine and I shall seek nothing more. The most despot and hated man in Europe who caused more distruction and deaths than any other in his times. I spend quite some time in Mal Maison, the residence of his mistress near Paris, where he rested and once get the impression that the night before he was there on his bed with Josaphine.
3) Strange about Sharia, that Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of anglican church of England said that it should be introduced in the country!
Rhetoric and propaganda is cheap, knowledge is gold if used properly but a poison in the hands of ignorents and Gdless creatures.
The subject is why anti-Americanism? From Mexico to Guetamala to Cuba to Europe and Middle-East to Afghanistan, the disgust with Messrs Bush and Obama America is growing. One has the choice to find a solution for the crisis or jump on the sinking ship.
Rex Minor
MotorMoma Minor,
I also wonder why so much AntiAmericanism when I have been hearing MotorMoma AneelaShahjadi Baghdadi’s version of recent history (not herstory). She was shouting from a raised platform in Baghadad following:
Hazarath Dick ChenniUddin first visited Baghadad with constant recitation of newly revealed ReaganKalma in 1983 as per the advice of ancient Rasool Reagan (Peace Be Upon his left sack between his legs) but jahil Raja Dahir Saddam Hussein only wanted the roses he brought as gift to RajaSaddam Dahir Hussein and he did not recite the Kalma. The last and the sweetest Rasool Bush (peace be upon his blonde bush between his legs) in 2003 had to send ever truthful, ever honorable bhery bhery handsome Colin MohMad Bin Powell Kasim with new set of roses even though evil Raja Saddam Dahir Hussein had tried to molest wide eyed beautiful goats in Kuwait highway robbery in 1991. After seeing ever truthful, ever honorable bhery bhery handsome Colin MohMad Bin Powell Kasim evil Raja Saddam Dahir Hussein started repenting and he drowned himself in spoonful water of Tigris. since then Peace and Aman is there in Middle East. People visit Darga/Darbar of Data Hazarath Dick ChenniUddin every day and there is free lunger of PizzaHut deep pizza and Kentucky Fried Chickens. There is a joolus on 4th of July every year when a hair from bush between the legs of the last and the sweetest Rasool Bush (peace be upon his blonde bush between his legs) carried on the back of a Baghdadi Camel in a 10 mile procession. Amerika ($) Ho Akbar! Amerika is Merciful! The ways of the last and the sweetest Rasool Bush (peace be upon his blonde bush between his legs) indeed spread all over the world by the soofis such as Hazarath ChenniUddin.
MotorMoma Minor, recently I also heard long lost twin sister of our dear MotorMoma AneelaShahjadi Baghdadi, MotorMoma AneelaShahjadi Lahori. Her voice was also bhery bhery sweet like nightingale. She was reciting a AraboPersian Poem in the praise of soofi hazarath Ajmal Kasab AK47wale and his other 9 sweet soul soofis and how they made the Mumbaikars recite the ancient ever green arabi Kalma. She was also mentioning how some recent visitor from jahil land called India after a nice spicy chicken-tikka burped that “Lahor is heaven on earth.” Indeed this heaven only can produce soofi Hazarath MohMad Saeed and his chele soofi hazarath Ajmal Kasab AK47wale and his other 9 sweet soul soofis.
MotorMoma Minor,
Why do you put some air in Volt to make it Voltair? Keep it simple Volts, hertz and Ohms.
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