An article from last October and an in-depth look into Pakistan's policy. Quite thoughtful.

October 13, 2009
memri

Introduction

On October 7, 2009, the Pakistani military took an extraordinary step by expressing publicly its "serious concern" over the civilian government's approval of the Kerry-Lugar Bill, a U.S. aid program for Pakistan approved by Congress. The military fears that its role will be curtailed if the bill comes into effect. The debate, emerging out of the military's concern, also reflects the complex nature of the Pakistani national interest.

Broadly speaking, the military's intervention on a matter of government policy has revealed concerns regarding: a) the Pakistan Army's near-absolute control of power; b) strain in military-government ties and the future of democracy in Pakistan; c) opposition parties' view of a "strategic sell-out" to the U.S.; d) Pakistani envoy to U.S. Husain Haqqani's alleged role, or lack of it, in shaping the Kerry-Lugar Bill; e) Pakistan-U.S. relations and Pakistan's role in defeating jihadists in Afghanistan-Pakistan border region; and e) the nature of the Pakistani national interest.