Stephen Lendman

All too often, Washington’s way of getting other countries to support its agenda is through bullying and threats.

Tactics include illegal sanctions, cutting off aid, restrictive trade policies, color revolutions and naked aggression - whatever it takes to force its will on other nations.

During his Monday night Afghan strategy address, announcing the escalation of an unwinnable war no matter now long it continues, Trump accused Pakistan of providing “safe havens” for terrorists, demanding its government cooperate with his agenda.

Separately, Rex Tillerson said “aid and military assistance we give them, their status as non-NATO alliance partner – all of that can be put on the table,” adding:

“Pakistan must adopt a different approach.” US support is conditional on “chang(ing) their approach.”

Countries providing “safe haven” for terrorists were “put on notice, warned (and) forewarned.” Designating them state sponsors of terrorism could follow. Pakistan would risk being declared a US adversary.

Trump and Tillerson didn’t go as far Bush/Cheney administration Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, threatening the then-Musharraf government in late September 2001, demanding cooperation in the “war on terror” or “(b)e prepared to be bombed…back to the Stone Age.”

Musharraf later explained he “war-gamed the US as an adversary.” It showed Pakistan would be crushed, letting arch-rival India exploit the situation. Given little choice, he went along with Bush/Cheney’s imperial agenda.

Tillerson indicated drone attacks will continue in Pakistan along border areas with Afghanistan, responsible for thousands of civilian deaths throughout years of war.

Following Trump’s address, Russian upper house Federation Council Defense Committee deputy chairman Frants Klintsevich said America “will never leave Afghanistan and they have never had plans to do so. This is a key region for them, considering the need to influence Pakistan, India and China.”

Russian Senator Aleksey Pushkov tweeted “George Bush Jnr. started the war, Barack Obama promised to end it but never did it. As a result, President Donald Trump has been left with a disaster on his hands. Loser superpower.”

India welcomed Trump’s Afghan war strategy, benefitting strategically and economically by supporting it.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif responded harshly to his country called a “safe haven” for terrorists, saying:

Washington “should not make Pakistan a scapegoat for (its) failures in Afghanistan,” adding his country’s “commitment to war against terrorism is unmatched and unshaken.”

“No country in the world has suffered more than Pakistan from the scourge of terrorism, often perpetrated from outside our borders.”

“It is therefore disappointing that the US policy statement ignores the enormous sacrifices rendered by the Pakistani nation in this effort.”

With or without its support, America came to Afghanistan to stay. Endless war will continue, despite no chance of triumphing.

It’s well known in Washington and at the Pentagon that the war is unwinnable. It’s waged for other reasons explained in earlier articles.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."