Gen Kayani at the 2010 US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue: Pakistan’s Perspective to Obama

Back in Oct 2010, US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue were held in White House. Before the visit, a key preparatory meeting chaired by the then Army Chief Gen Ishfaq Pervez Kayani was held at army headquarters in which he invited both the politicians and foreign staff members.
Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi left for a family weekend and didn’t attend the important meetup.

Meeting President Obama: A Surprise in the Roosevelt Room

When the Pakistani delegation reached Washington, Lt Gen Doug Lute, director at the NSC, setup the meeting in the Roosevelt room in the White House.

Gen James Jones, the National Security Advisor, was chairing the US team. Americans had prepared a surprise. Fifteen minutes into the meeting, President Obama entered the room and Jones relinquished his seat for the President.

Pakistan’s Perspective: Key Points Presented by Gen Kayani

As the discussion got under way, Gen Kayani spoke briefly and presented President Obama a 14 page document entilted ‘Pakistan’s Perspective’. It was candid and concise. The key points were:

1. For Pakistan, the outcome of the war in Afghanistan is a matter of life and death
2. There is a direct linkage between the stability and future of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It cannot therefore wish for anything other than what it wishes for itself
3. A peaceful, stable and friendly Afghanistan provides us the strategic depth-a concept that is totally misunderstood.
4. In the broader context of how political ideologies and communal identities shaped strategic outlooks in South Asia long before 1947 — influencing later military and diplomatic thinking in the region — see this related historical analysis on a pivotal encounter that highlighted deep political divides: “When Nehru Met Iqbal in 1938: The Final Encounter That Revealed the Muslim Political Divide”.
5. Ignoring Indian military presence (3 strike corps and three dozen airfields) on the eastern border would be a dereliction of duty for any Army Chief.
6. The United States is causing and maintaining a controlled chaos in Pakistan with the REAL AIM TO DE-NUCLEARIZE PAKISTAN and I won’t let that happen.

The American Response: Hillary Clinton’s Visit to Pakistan

Not just the Americans but the Pakistani team was also surprised by this move from Kayani. It took Obama three months to prepare a response to Kayani’s short and pithy missive when he send his secretary Hillary Clinton to visit Pak.

The Kayani voice was very straightforward and honest. He didn’t mince words. He was logical and blunt.

Acknowledgment of Gen Kayani’s Strategic Genius

Lt Gen Lute had a high opinion of Gen Kayani. He saw him someone with a ‘nuanced, calibrated and intellectual approach. A serious professional”.

Gen Allen, former US commander in Afghanistan, termed Gen Kayani as one of the greatest strategist minds.

Reference:
Shuja Nawaz, The Battle For Pakistan