Donald Trump, US President-designate, may surprise friends and foes alike.
According to Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, former Pakistani envoy to India, US and China, Trump may invite jailed Imran Khan to his inauguration.
"The fact that India under Narendra Modi, according to its most respected political commentators, has become a ‘Muslim hating country’ will not faze Trump unless American Muslims, including Pakistanis, can influence his political decision-making.
His recent statements indicate that possibility," writes Qazi in Pakistani daily 'Dawn'.
He also notes: "While Trump personally admires Imran Khan, he is no friend of Pakistan. There is, nevertheless, speculation he may invite Imran Khan to his inauguration. But it is unclear if Trump will insist on his invitation being respected if Imran Khan’s jailers demur."
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| Qazi |
"Many expect Trump to push for a deal with Vladimir Putin on Ukraine which would prevent the expansion of NATO to the borders of Russia. (Unlike Ukraine, Finland has been independent since the Russian revolution.)
The deep state, however, is likely to resist any such peace initiative in conjunction with Nato and European allies," writes Qazi, who also served as head of UN missions in Iraq and Sudan.
"Trump might try to placate the deep state and his allies by linking a deal with Putin on Ukraine with a loosening of Russia’s strategic ties with China. Putin, however, knows how Kissinger’s success in driving a wedge between Moscow and Beijing led to Moscow’s defeat in the Cold War.
He (Putin) will never allow a repeat of this strategic disaster for Russia," he argues eloquently.
Qazi feels: "Trump, like Biden, celebrates the genocide in Gaza, the setback to Hezbollah, and the presumed humiliation of Iran.
He sees this as the victory of his beloved Israel but also of his Arab and Muslim ruling clients over their own people.
He rejects a two-state solution to the Palestine problem and will try to resurrect the Abraham Accords to permanently defeat the aspirations of the Arab and Muslim people."
On his context, the former Pakistani diplomat argues: "The latest developments in Syria confirm this US strategy, which is immediately aimed at discrediting Russia and Iran within the Arab world, but is ultimately aimed at discrediting China within the Muslim world.
Beyond that, it represents the unfolding of a Western civilisational challenge to the Muslim world.
He further says something crucial from New Delhi or for that matter even Islamabad's points of view:
"Likewise, Trump will have no interest in being balanced or ‘fair’ in his handling of relations with India and Pakistan.
He will continue his ‘Howdy Modi to Namaste Trump’ relationship which represented a landmark strategic development in Indo-US relations. India is a de facto strategic ally of the US and participates in other US-led anti-China alliances."
ends
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