Democracy requires an informed citizenry able to question its government.
Richard N. HaassRead
Indeed, the big U.S. error after 9/11 was to treat Pakistan as if it were an ally. With an ally, it is possible to assume a large degree of policy overlap. With Pakistan, no such assumption can be made.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the mistake of viewing Pakistan as a true ally post-9/11, implying a lack of genuine policy alignment.
Richard N. Haass critiques the post-9/11 strategy of the U.S. government in its foreign relations, specifically with Pakistan. By labeling Pakistan as an ally, the United States mistakenly assumed that both countries would have significant agreement on policy matters, which he argues is not the case. This highlights the complexities and challenges in international relationships, particularly when dealing with nations that have differing strategic interests.
Themes
UsPakistanAlliancesPolicyError
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on international relations, one might use this quote to discuss the intricacies of diplomatic alliances.
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