Studies On Ideas And The Carter Administration’s Policy Towards Pakistan

The Carter administration’s policies toward Pakistan were distinctly different in1977-1979 and 1979-1981.The Carter administration’s foreign policies were clearly values-based.In its foreign policies,which played important roles were values,such as democracy,freedom,human rights,and casual beliefs linking those values to national interests.1977-1979,the Carter administration practiced values-based diplomacy,trying to "fight fire with water" in the ideological sphere in response to Soviet expansion in the Third World.The Carter administration was very lukewarm toward Pakistan due to numerous conflicts with the Zia-ul-Haq government over human rights and nuclear nonproliferation issues.However,the outbreak of the Soviet-Afghan war directly threatened the security of the U.S.oil pipeline in the Persian Gulf and seriously threatened U.S.overseas interests and national security,which made Pakistan’s strategic significance to the U.S.rose sharply,providing an opportunity for the U.S.to adjust its policy toward it.1979-1981,considering national interests and national security,the Carter administration was forced to set aside the moral claims in its foreign policy and put more emphasis on realistic interests,to ease relations with Pakistan,to seek cooperation in the fight against the Soviet Union.However,it was not easy to adjust ideas,which lead to conflicts between values and casual beliefs about national interests and limited the extent of adjustment of the policy toward Pakistan.Ultimately,the U.S.-Pakistani cooperation failed to reach depth during the Carter administration.