The Future of U.S.-Pakistani Relations: A Troubled Foreign Policy Relationship

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has had a long relationship with the United States stretching back to the early 1950s shortly after its founding. It has often been a troubled relationship, and never more so than now in the aftermath of the American raid on Osama bin Laden's Pakistani compound.

Current tensions between the United States and Pakistan are extremely high. Are U.S.-Pakistani relations headed for a collapse? If so, what would that mean to American policy interests in South Asia including the War on Terror, fighting al-Qaeda forces, operations in Afghanistan, and relations with India? Is this nuclear armed power headed in radical directions?

To answer these important questions—and to examine a timely new book by Hudson Research Fellow Aparna Pande—the Institute hosted a panel discussion.

Explaining Pakistan's Foreign Policy: Escaping India (Routledge) provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account of the history of Pakistan's foreign policy, its foundations in the problems of Pakistani political identity, and its impact on relations with other countries, particularly the United States.