Poetic justice

THE EDITOR, Madam:

With his extension of the ceasefire for the US and Israel bombing Iran, President Trump acknowledged total dependence on the negotiators in Pakistan, namely Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Army Field Marshall Asim Munir.

That trust didn’t exist during Mr. Trump’s first term when he called Pakistan a safe haven for Afghani terrorists; he stated that America had given them US$33-billion in aid over 15 years, and got nothing in return. He then put a freeze on further aid, but things have completely changed with Pakistan now the apple of Mr. Trump’s eye, although it has a unenviable record of a revolving door to power.

No Prime Minister has ever completed a five-year term since the country came into existence after the partition of India in 1947. Most have been removed by military coups, judicial decisions or presidential decrees, and several have spent many years in jail, while a couple have been assassinated, and one hanged. Politics in Pakistan is an unstable chaotic reality, but President Trump thrives on chaos.

He certainly underestimated the resilience of Iranians, who have survived despite all kinds of economic sanctions from the US, the UN and European Union during the past 47 years as an Islamic Republic. Life in Iran was not easy before 1979, when the authoritarian Shah ruled from his Peacock Throne.

Of course, it would be wonderful if a timely, lasting and meaningful peace agreement is negotiated in Pakistan, but there really are so many historical factors to overcome. The whole world experiences an economic nightmare with shortages in oil, LNG, fertilizers and other vital commodities blocked from the Persian Gulf. Everywhere on Planet Earth things are looking bleak, but history has proven that in politics it is always darker before the dawn, and the unexpected often happens. The negotiators may surprise by pulling Pakistani rabbits out of their hats, and we could all be welcoming rainbows and unicorns, rather than the current doom and gloom.

Who knows, Pakistan’s PM and Field Marshall may conduct such great negotiations that they will receive the Nobel Peace Prize, which has been so brazenly coveted by President Trump. Wouldn’t that be poetic justice.

BERNIE SMITH

Parksville, BC

Canada