Abstract
Despite the growing salience of the Pakistan-China and US-Indian alliances, Pakistan-US relations continue to be a valuable enhancement both to stability and to Washington’s influence in South Asia. The United States contributes to Pakistan’s national security, just as Pakistan reciprocates in those areas where the U.S.-Indian relationship has its limitations. Pakistan also helps play a stabilizing effect on the US-China rivalry, despite Islamabad’s close association with Beijing.
The Long and Episodic US-Pakistan Relationship
Since the 1950s, Pakistan has been actively pursuing good relations with the United States for mutual benefit, but in particular to help manage perceived threats from India. This partnership has seen Pakistan’s active contributions in efforts to contain Communism during the Cold War, facilitate a rapprochement between the US and China in the early 1970s, combat global terrorism in the twenty-first century, and promote stability diplomacy in South Asia.