Pakistan

In this interview with non-resident senior fellow Kamal Alam, author Adrian Levy reflects on the deep historical relationship between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency, noting that it has covered history’s many “pinch points.”

Regardless of the outcome of this latest round of negotiations, Pakistan will have further provided legitimacy to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, which is responsible for killing and traumatizing thousands of Pakistani civilians and soldiers. Even if these talks succeed, Pakistan will lose. 

Recurring economic crises in Pakistan has led leaders to seek Saudi money, primarily because both the Saudis and Pakistanis know that Islamabad’s value proposition has been declining. But this need not be the case—Pakistan is the only country in the world that can solve the House of Saud’s growing security concerns in an increasingly hostile regional environment.