DRONES UNDERMINE US CREDIBILITY IN PAKISTAN AND THROUGHOUT THE REGION Despite the vast foreign aid the US has invested in Pakistan, a 2012 poll by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitude project found that 74% of Pakistanis consider 74% of Pakistanis consider the US an the US an enemy, up from enemy, up from 64% three years ago. 64% three years ago.758 Only 45% of Pakistanis felt - Pew Research Center Global Attitude Survey 2012 it important to improve relations with the US, down from 60% the previous year, and fewer support cooperation or even receiving aid from the US.759 The growing unpopularity of the US in Pakistan weakens the countries’ bilateral relationship, makes it more difficult for Pakistani political leaders to work collaboratively with the US, and risks undermining Pakistani democracy and development. The deterioration of the Pakistani-US bilateral relationship may also place US security at risk. Dennis Blair, former Director of National Intelligence, described how unilateral American drone attacks in Pakistan are eroding US “influence and damaging our ability to work with Pakistan to achieve other important security objectives like eliminating Taliban sanctuaries, encouraging Indian-Pakistani dialogue, and making Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal more secure.”760 Cameron Munter, who announced his early resignation as US Ambassador to Pakistan in May 2012,761 reportedly revealed to colleagues that he
with Najeeb Saaqib (anonymized name), in Islambad, Pakistan (Feb. 26, 2012) (“I think the government or international agencies should give proper facilities like education, health, electricity so that our people can also get educations and go to universities and change the thinking and [their] mindset.”). 758 PEW RESEARCH CENTER, PAKISTANI PUBLIC OPINION EVER MORE CRITICAL OF US: 74% CALL AMERICA AN ENEMY (2012), available at http://www.pewglobal.org/files/2012/06/Pew-Global-Attitudes-ProjectPakistan-Report-FINAL-Wednesday-June-27-2012.pdf. 759 Id. 760 Blair, supra note 721. 761 Rob Crilly, US Ambassador to Pakistan Steps Down Early, TELEGRAPH (May 8, 2012), http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/9252189/US-ambassador-to-Pakistansteps-down-early.html.
138