Introduction to International Politics
Foreign Event Analysis
| Locale | ![[]](http://www.kvasaheim.com/flags/flag15-pk.png "Flag of Pakistan") | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| Title |
Growing “Misunderstandings” along Afghan-Pakistan Border
| |
| Summary |
Pakistani ground forces, located at a check-point between the Afghan-Pakistan border, open fired on two US helicopters. The helicopters were, according to Pakistani officials, well within the Pakistani border. US ground forces located near the check-point, but on the Afghanistan side, reportedly fired back warning shots to halt the Pakistan forces engagement. However, the Pakistani troops returned fire and shot at a hillside near the US troop encampment. The helicopters retreated back over Afghani airspace and did not return any fire on the Pakistani forces. There are conflicting reports regarding the violation of Pakistani airspace. NATO sources have claimed that the helicopters never crossed into the Pakistan airspace and thus the Pakistani engagement was unfounded and unprovoked. Also, Pakistan officials have disputed claims that the shots were from small arms fire but instead were warning flares. Luckily, there were no injuries or damages reported on either side and the event was labeled as a “misunderstanding".
| |
| Analysis |
This event is just the newest installment of a growing amount of security-crisis along the Afghan-Pakistan border. The Pakistan government has been vehemently protesting against the cross-border raids and violations of its autonomous borders by the US lead NATO coalition forces. The Pakistan government and military commanders have vowed to protect the integrity and sovereignty of the Pakistani state. The US has been questioning the actual border demarcation line as it is very vague and unclear where Afghanistan ends and the Pakistani state begins. Either way, the border has resulted in a growing crisis involving the US and Pakistan. The Pakistan military has become increasingly aggressive in asserting its power and control over the border region. The United States is also asserting its control over the region as well as it heightens the amount of troops and raids along the border.
Pakistan is being faced with a security-dilemma. Although the US lead NATO forces are being portrayed as defensive forces being used for the sole purpose of tracking down and eliminating terrorists, the Pakistan government has an obligation to make sure the integrity of its state and borders are secured and under the control and authority of Pakistan. Furthermore, they cannot fully distinguish or trust that these forces will not be used to move further into Pakistan. On September 16th, there was a similar incident involving helicopters being a 100meters inside the border, this time it is claimed they were more than a mile into the Pakistan border. With the increased threat of force by Pakistan and the troop surge along the borders by the US, the tension between the two states could escalate into much worse violence as a struggle for power and control of the border takes place between the two states. | |
| Perspective |  | Realist |
| In-Region URL | ||
| Out-of-Region URL | ||
| Submitted | September 25, 2008 at 9:00 pm | |
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