A Pakistani to be Asst Secretary in U.S. State Department.

[Ahmed]

Looks like President Bush is going to replace Karl Inderfurh,the man in charge of south asian affairs in the state department by a pakistani-american acedamic.Although Dr.shirin tahirkhaili is more 'american' than pakistani and plus she is married to a pro-northern alliance Afghani,I think if we play our cards right we can get some benefits out of this.
While I understand that she will have to do the work of her masters more often than not, I see this as an oppurtunity.Let's see what our FO can make out of this.
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Tahirkheli tipped as US Assistant Secretary on South Asia

WASHINGTON: Shirin Tahirkheli, a noted diplomat and academic who grew up in Pakistan and is daughter of famous scientist Dr Raziuddin Siddiqui, may become the next US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia.

Currently research professor and director of the Foreign Policy Institute at the John Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, Tahirkheli served as the US ambassador to the United Nations for special political affairs during the Reagan administration. She was also director of Near East and South Asia and director of political-military affairs at the National Security Council for six years. She is a member of the State Department's policy planning staff, a senior fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a fellow of the Centre of International Studies, Princeton University.

She has authored numerous books and articles on South Asia, a region on which she is regarded as one of America's leading experts. Her books include 'India, Pakistan and the United States: Breaking with the Past.' Tahirkheli holds a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. Her husband, an Afghan-American, is a senior academic.

Karl Inderfurth, whom Tahirkheli may replace at the State Department soon under the new Republican administration, in a speech in October last year said: "[Shirin Tahirkheli is] a one-person State Department and National Security Council rolled into one."

Inderfurth said: "[She has been] enormously creative and energetic in pushing ahead an agenda of political and economic confidence-building measures in South Asia. [She is] tireless in her work on Track-II related activities with India and Pakistan." Tahirkheli has maintained close personal and family ties in Pakistan which she visits regularly.


[This message has been edited by Ahmed (edited January 04, 2001).]

[Malik73]

Good work Ahmed!

This is excellent new indeed. George W has appointed a very diverse cabinet including many Black, Hispnaic, Asian and Arab Americans.

And it seems that he is grateful for the crucial support that Arabs and Muslims gave him on election day. He has shown his grattitude by appointing the Arab-American Spencer Abraham as the next US Energy Secretary and now this talented Pakistani-American to this crucial position in the state dept.

Arabs and Muslims must exploit these oppotunities to the fullest.

[Malik73]

Oh one other crucial thing I forgot to mention was that Bush has appointed NO JEWS to his cabinet! Unlike Clinton has 4 Jews in his cabinet.

Another plus point for Arabs and Muslims.

[Ahmed]

Good Observstion Malik.This is sure to make him unpopular among the jewish public but then they all voted for Gore anyway.I think Bush has the right idea about including minorities in his cabinet,it's the only way to decrease jewish influence since there will be more to share the cake.
I think he will have an easier life in office if he keeps jews at an arms length.They are just leeches.What did clinton get out of having them in his cabinet?Nothing except Monica lewinsky perhaps.
And what did they get out of it?Lots.

[^DerVaisH^]

and how much influence would she have?..
i doubt any!
she won't have any authority what so ever!
shez more american than pakistan..there u go!..she won't put pakistanz interest ahead of american interests!!!



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Whatever limits us we call fate!
Whatever we can't change we call destiny!

[Malik73]

I can't agree more Ahmed. Even I was expecting that Bush would appoint at least one big Jew to his cabinet, but while reading a sulking article from that Jew-supporting New York Times I learned that not one Jew has been appointed to Bush's cabinet. This is what that Zionist William Safire rights in that article called "Clinton divides Jerusalem :-

Silence from George W. Bush is assent. Jewish Americans, about the only ethnic group not represented in his cabinet choices, voted overwhelmingly for his opponent and earned no political call on the president-elect.


Well why would they earn a call from Bush. 90% of them voted for Gore-LIEBERMAN and then the Jews of Florida almost stole Bus's victory.

But the main point is that Bush has rewarded important Muslim communities like the Arabs and Pakistani's with these key appointments, for their help in winning him the Presidency. And that can only be a positve sign for Muslims and Pakistani's.

Dervaish - of course she is American and will think of America first but that does not mean she will forget her MUSLIM and Pakistani roots. Isn't it better to have one or two of of our own in top positions at least fighting our corner than having no one?

[This message has been edited by Malik73 (edited January 04, 2001).]

[Pakistan99]

Originally posted by ^DerVaisH^:
and how much influence would she have?..
i doubt any!
she won't have any authority what so ever!
shez more american than pakistan..there u go!..she won't put pakistanz interest ahead of american interests!!!

But she would definitely put Pakistan's interests ahead of India's...



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Don't you dare post dirty stuff in this forum...
Mail it to me at [email protected] .

[Malik73]

But she would definitely put Pakistan's interests ahead of India's...

Exactly and thats what counts!

[Ahmed]

Well guys,
She has held other important jobs in the past,she's been in the NSC as the article mentions but the thing about her current job is that it puts her directly at the head of South Asian affairs in state departemnt.
So what that means is that pakistani embassy would have greater access to the person in that important job,which would not be so in case of someone else getting the job,plus the indians would not treat her as kindly as they would someone else becuase of their paranoia towards everything pakistani,so in the end they loose out.
I am well aware that she won't have too much 'power' as Dervaish says,infact I said that myself in my first post,but our FO now gets a good contact which Indians don't and in lobbying terms this kind of thing matters,especialy in America.So this can be used to get some benefits.But only if our FO and the washington embassy work hard.Good things don't come easy.

[This message has been edited by Ahmed (edited January 06, 2001).]

[Pakistan99]

Originally posted by Ahmed:
Well guys,
She has held other important jobs in the past,she's been in the NSC as the article mentions but the thing about her current job is that it puts her directly at the head of South Asian affairs in state departemnt.
So what that means is that pakistani embassy would have greater access to the person in that important job,which would not be so in case of someone else getting the job,plus the indians would not treat her as kindly as they would someone else becuase of their paranoia towards everything pakistani,so in the end they loose out.
I am well aware that she won't have too much 'power' as Dervaish says,infact I said that myself in my first post,but our FO now gets a good contact which Indians don't and in lobbying terms this kind of thing matters,especialy in America.So this can be used to get some benefits.But only if our FO and the washington embassy work hard.Good things don't come easy.

[This message has been edited by Ahmed (edited January 06, 2001).]

Top class analysis of the matter.


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Don't you dare post dirty stuff in this forum...
Mail it to me at [email protected] .

[Malik73]

Very good and fair analysis Ahmed. Let's not forget that apart from ther positive impacts for Pakistan in having one of our own in a very importnat position, it increases the power of the Pakistani-American lobby.

Its all lobby power in US politics ans its about time our lobby there had an important contact in none other than the US State Department.

George W Bush has done well indeed in appointing a cabinet that truly represents the face of America (except the Jews) and appointing other good minorities like Dr.shirin tahirkhaili to top positions.

So now we won't have Karl Inderfurth touring the capitals of South Asia but our very own Pakistani kurree!

[Mursalin]

I picked up this information on Shirin Tahir-Kheli from the Washington Times.


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A candidate for assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs is a woman born in India, raised in Pakistan and educated in the United States, where she later served on President Reagan's foreign policy team.


South Asian newspapers are reporting that Shirin Tahir-Kheli is the front-runner to fill the position now held by Karl Inderfurth, who is expected to leave the post later this month.

Other candidates include James Clad, a professor at Georgetown University who worked as a journalist in India for the Far-Eastern Economic Review and Sandra Charles, currently with a private consulting firm, who has served in the Pentagon.

Indian and Pakistani newspapers are focusing on Mrs. Tahir-Kheli as the likely nominee because of her strong contacts with members of President-elect George W. Bush's transition team.

Pakistani-American groups are lobbying for her appointment, and Pakistani Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi also supports her, according to reports last week.

"She is said to be particularly close to sections of the Republican Party's foreign policy circle," said the Indian newspaper Asian Age.

It noted she is favored by Bush adviser Paul Wolfowitz and Zalmay Khalilzad, an assistant undersecretary of defense in the administration of Mr. Bush's father and now advising the transition team on personnel recruitment for national security positions.

Asian Age quoted sources who called Mr. Khalilzad, now a senior analyst at the Rand Corp., her "political godfather."

Reflecting the regional rivalry between two new nuclear powers, Pakistani journals praised her possible appointment while Indian newspapers questioned whether she is biased toward Pakistan.

The Times of India said, "Some observers . . . suggest it would be inconceivable for a job of this nature dealing with combustible South Asia to be spearheaded by such an obviously partisan choice.

"That would hardly be the propitious start the Bush administration would be looking for in the Indian subcontinent."

The Clinton administration, after developing strong ties with India, last year had to defend itself from criticism that it was tilting toward India and against old Cold War ally Pakistan.

The Pakistani newspaper, the News, first identified Mrs. Tahir-Kheli as the leading candidate for the position in an upbeat story last week.

The News said she has been "tipped" for the position and noted she "grew up in Pakistan" and is the "daughter of famous scientist Dr. Raziuddin Siddiqui," a key nuclear advisory to Pakistan's military government.

Mrs. Tahir-Kheli is married to an Afghan-American.

[This message has been edited by Mursalin (edited January 10, 2001).]

[kabir]

i guess its too early to celebrate but if it happens than it will surely help the muslim cause

[Malik73]

Another Muslim appointed by Bush - Faryar Shirzad.

White House names deputy secretary of state

By Amir Mateen

WASHINGTON: The White House confirmed rumours in diplomatic circles by announcing that Richard Armitage is President Bush's choice for deputy secretary of state.

Unlike his predecessor, Strobe Talbott, who was close to his former roommate Bill Clinton, Armitage owes his allegiance to Secretary of State Colin Powell. Powell has called him a "brother" and a "friend of the heart."

Like Powell, Armitage is a Vietnam War veteran. He served three combat tours and speaks fluent Vietnamese. Armitage, a former Pentagon official, is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and has served in the Defence Department under Bush's father, George Bush, and under President Ronald Reagan. In the past he has served with the rank of Ambassador as the Coordinator for Technical and Humanitarian Assistance to the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union.

President George H W Bush appointed him a Presidential Special Negotiator for the Philippines Military Base Agreement and as a Special Emissary to Jordan during the 1991 Gulf War. Previously he served in the Pentagon as Assistant Secretary of Defence and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence.

The Bush administration stuck to its policy of appointing people from within the establishment. Six other individuals were nominated, the most important being Dr Dov Zakheim as Under Secretary of Defence and Comptroller. In the past he has served in a variety of Defence Department positions under former President Reagan. He was a member of the Task Force on Defence Reform under then-secretary of Defence William Cohen. Kenneth I Juster was nominated as Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Theodore William Kassinger has been nominated to be General Counsel of the Department of Commerce and an American Muslim, Faryar Shirzad, as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Import Administration.

Now that the deputy secretary has been nominated, the announcement for the nomination for under secretary of political affairs and assistant secretary for South Asia may be made any time.