Activating ties with the US

Dr. Jassim Taqui

DG Al-Bab Institute for Strategic Studies

Islamabad, March 6,  2022:  In a welcome development, both the Biden administration and the hybrid civilian-military regime decided to revitalize the historically strong ties between the two countries.

First, The United States Senate has confirmed the appointment of Donald Blome, a career foreign service officer, as the next US Ambassador to Pakistan.

“Partnership with Pakistan is key to progress on regional security, trade and investment, the climate crisis, and human rights,” the US State Department said after Ambassador Blome’s confirmation.

A Middle East expert, Blome is currently the US Ambassador to Tunisia. He has served US diplomatic missions in Kabul, Jerusalem, Cairo, Baghdad, and Kuwait.

Blome’s appointment comes some four years after Ambassador David Hale completed his three-year term in Islamabad and left for Washington to take over as undersecretary of state for political affairs.

In 2021, Hale joined the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Washington-based think-tank, as a Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow on detail from the State Department.

At a recent news briefing, State Department Spokesman Ned Price called Pakistan “a strategic partner” of the United States.

“We have an important relationship with the government in Islamabad, and it’s a relationship that we value across several fronts,” Price said.

Blome has long experience in the Middle East region and speaks Arabic.

Earlier in his career, Blome served as the Civilian Co-Director, Multinational Force Strategic Engagement Cell, Baghdad, Political Counsellor, Embassy Kuwait, and as Israel Desk Officer, Deputy Director, and Acting Director, Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs.

Subsequently, the Foreign office welcomed Ambassador Blome and vowed to cooperate with him in his noble mission.

Given the historic ties between Pakistan and Washington, Islamabad should never have distanced itself from the US.

Additionally, the US has been the only country that has supported Pakistani militarily and economically through grants. The closest allies of Pakistan without exception have only given “loans”, and that is also with high-interest rates irrespective of the grave economic problems of Pakistan.

Over the past decade, the US, through USAID has given Pakistan UD dollars 7.7 billion of funding.

Pakistan remains one of America’s largest recipients of foreign assistance, a sign of long-term partnership and commitment.