NEW YORK – Leading US newspaper, The New York Times questioning President Trump’s decision to suspend security assistance to Pakistan has warned that Pakistan can shut down American access to Afghanistan at any moment.
In an editorial, “Pakistan, the Endlessly Troublesome Ally”, the newspaper said almost every military flight into Afghanistan goes through Pakistani airspace while most supplies travel along Pakistani roads and rails.
The editorial said that Pakistan could also ally more closely with China and be more hard-line in its rivalry with India.
The paper said that indeed, China could once again be the beneficiary of a Trump decision estranging the United States from longtime partners.
The New York Times said President Trump cannot afford to walk away from Pakistan, which has often provided vital intelligence and has the world’s fastest-growing nuclear arsenal.
Amid heightened Pakistan-US tensions, the newspaper urged President Donald Trump to explore more “constructive cooperation” with the South Asian country.
It said in 2014, Pakistan’s army finally mounted a serious military campaign against the Pakistani Taliban and suffered many casualties.
