A recently leaked secret diplomatic cable has revealed that the United States pressured Pakistani diplomats to seek the removal of Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2022. Khan, who was ousted from office later that year, was not in favor of the US or its geopolitical agenda and had sought closer ties with China and Russia.
Following his removal, Khan was swiftly arrested and banned from participating in politics. Surprisingly, within the same week, Pakistan signed a new defense agreement with the US, reaffirming the longstanding ties between Washington and the Pakistani military elite, who have historically been the backbone of the state.
These developments indicate a subtle regime change operation orchestrated by the US in Pakistan, which is an unusual choice considering the US’s simultaneous pursuit of stronger ties with India. This demonstrates the US’s ambitions to play the two countries against each other and assert its own military dominance over the South Asian region. By using India as a pawn in its struggle against China and blocking the strategic rise of India, the US aims to maintain its control and influence in the region.
The US’s “Indo-Pacific strategy” is primarily focused on ensuring its hegemony by containing the rise of China and preventing the emergence of any rival power. While India is seen as a critical partner in this containment strategy, it does not mean that the US consents to India becoming a superpower or taking control of the region. India’s foreign policy is rooted in strategic autonomy and a “neighborhood first” doctrine, which doesn’t align with the US’s vision of a Pax Americana.
The biggest military threat to India, despite the current tensions with China, has always been its neighbor, Pakistan. Traditionally, the US has maintained a strong military relationship with Islamabad, given its role as an ally in the war on terror in Afghanistan and its status as a major buyer of US military equipment. However, India has always resented US support for Pakistan, causing a distance between the two countries in the past. But as the strategic environment changed, Pakistan tilted towards China, and India towards the US.
Under Imran Khan’s leadership, Pakistan’s foreign policy took an anti-Western stance, embracing China and seeking closer economic ties with Russia. This shift in foreign policy was seen as disruptive to Washington’s interests, leading to the US lobbying for Khan’s removal. However, the US is not interested in an “either/or” situation on the Indian subcontinent, where it supports India while China backs Pakistan. Instead, it seeks to divide and conquer the region for its own interests.
From the US’s perspective, Pakistan, with its large population and nuclear weapons capability, serves as a useful military and strategic check on the power of India. Despite India’s dominance in the long run, Pakistan will always pose a potent threat that cannot be eliminated entirely. The US aims to maintain favorable relationships with both Pakistan and India to use them against each other for its own benefit. The US may be currently backing India, but it does not consent to India’s rise as a rival power, as its ultimate vision is unipolarity.
If the US succeeds in containing China and subordinating it strategically, India will be its next target. To achieve this, the US will strengthen its relationships with all of India’s neighbors and portray New Delhi as a “bully” and “aggressor.” This narrative will be used to boost military and economic relationships with India’s neighboring countries. Pakistan will likely be at the top of this list, as the US sustains its power by backing smaller countries against larger ones and positioning itself as the sole defense and security guarantor.
Therefore, the US has orchestrated the removal of Imran Khan and reasserted its defense relationship with Pakistan. Washington does not want a Pakistan that aligns with Russia and China or advocates for Muslims globally. Instead, it wants to see Islamabad and New Delhi in a contest with each other, using US-supplied equipment, and position itself as the peacemaker, savior, and ultimately, the overlord of the region.
It is important to note that the statements, views, and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
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