Policy analyst Tanvi Ratna sees the smooth hand of President Trump behind recent machinations involving India and Pakistan.
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SomethingextraordinaryhappenedonFriday,butyoulikelydidn’tseeitintheheadlines.
InWashington,theInternationalMonetaryFund(IMF)quietlyapproveda$2.3billionbailoutpackageforPakistan.Onthesurface,itwasjustanotherfinancialdeal.Butbeneaththesurface,thisvotetiedtogetherthreeofthemostpressingforeignpolicytheatersintheworld:India-Pakistan,Ukraine-Russia,andU.S.-China.
INSIDETHEWHITEHOUSE’SEFFORTTOPULLINDIA,PAKISTANBACKFROMTHEBRINKOFWAR
Andthecommonthread?
PresidentTrump’sreturnto“ArtoftheDeal”diplomacy.
The$2.3billionIMFpackageincludeda$1billiontrancheundertheExtendedFundFacility(EFF)and$1.3billionundertheResilienceandSustainabilityFacility(RSF).Butmanyexpertsweresurprisedthisvoteevenhappened,letalonepassed.
Justlastyear,Pakistan’sIMFbailoutwascontingentonitsassistanceinrearmingNATOduringtheUkrainewar.TheBidenadministrationleanedheavilyonPakistantosupportweapons
