Context
According to Anatol Lieven, professor of war studies at King’s College London, Pakistan must be regarded as an enemy in the Afghan war if Pak-US relations are to improve. Lieven in his blog With a Friend Like This, published in the New York Times said that to consider Pakistan an ally, is a misrepresentation of reality. He said that both countries felt the other had betrayed it. Professor Lieven argued that Islamabad and Washington need to reassess their relations. The US also needs to revise its policies and work towards dispelling the Manichean belief in US culture of viewing those who are against the United States as evil.
Anatol also stressed that the American ability to coerce countries with military or economic repercussions had reduced drastically. He said Pakistan was deviating from US policies and suggested its role should be kept covert and limited in Afghanistan.
