U.S.-Pakistan Alliances in Afghanistan: Policies, Costs and Implications

Abstract

With the onset of the cold war, the United States (U.S.) had played a crucial role in ensuring the containment of the communist cause, and limiting the global influence of the Soviet Union. The U.S., through the implementation of its foreign policies, allied with the nation-states having similar goals and objectives. However, the result expected from such relations has never been achieved in its complete spirit, primarily because some or most of such alliances were complementary alliances[1]. Accordingly, this study has made an attempt to have a critical review of the motives that ultimately led to the U.S. and Pakistan nurturing, funding, developing, and fighting the Mujahedeen and Taliban groups during the Soviet-Afghan war and War on Terror (WOT). Conclusively, this study mirrors the impact of these alliances on both countries determining that Pakistan ultimately received the bitter end of the deal with its economy failing and country near collapse, while the U.S. remains in an advantageous situation.