Pakistan's bravado gets picked on social media after Trump twitterstorm

WASHINGTON: As bluster and bravado flowed from the Pakistani establishment in response to President Trump’s tough talk against Pakistan, social media erupted in taunts and jibes at a country that has earned for itself an unenviable reputation as Terrorism Central.

Amid calls from the country’s hardline nationalists to take a tough stand against the US, including cutting off supply route to landlocked Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif pledged to "respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth…difference between facts & fiction…"



"Facts: Pakistan lost all the wars against India. Fiction: Pakistani army is best army in the world," jeered one Twitter warrior at the man who was till recently Pakistan’s Defense Minister.

Shills for the Pakistani establishment repeated the familiar argument about Pakistan being a front-line ally in war on terror, the sacrifices it has made, the number of soldiers it has lost etc., none of which now carries credibility in the global community given how long and how openly Pakistan has hosted terrorists and terror groups.

There were reminders on social media of Osama bin Laden hiding in Abbottabad and Pakistan’s effort to mainstream the UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed, amid taunts about the country's parlous situation that has left it with a barely functioning government.

"President @realDonaldTrump’s new year tweet and responses from #Pakistan prompt me to remind everyone of my book," tweeted former Pakistan ambassador to Washington Husain Haqqani, along with the cover page of his acclaimed book “Magnificent Delusions” that examines ties between United States, Pakistan, and their epic history of misunderstanding.



But there is no sign that Pakistan is anywhere close to realizing how delusional it is, and it required another acerbic Pakistani commentator, Rauf Klasra, to point it out.

While Pakistan’s cyber warriors and internet jihadists wanted Islamabad to act tough against the US, Islamabad still benefits hugely from US munificence by way of American support in multilateral institutions and trade concessions, including export of textiles to US that brings in much needed foreign exchange to keep it afloat.

Many Pakistani politicians, generals, and other elites are also beholden to the US because of family and other ties.

"Pls ask concerned US departments to prepare a full list of children and families of Pakistan political, bureaucracy, civil military and diplomats who are settled in US and send them all back to Pakistan so they should face the brunt too with poor and helpless Pakistani victims," tweeted Klasra, one of Pakistan’s more outspoken commentators.



"I hope Pak Army Generals in particular while foreign office diplomats & politicians in general — will bring their pampered kids back from USA to stand shoulders to shoulders with common Pakistani who dont have any say in Pak-Afghan policy that has brought disaster for us since 80s," Klasra continued, adding. "My prediction: General Pervaiz Musharraf—(Pakistan first fame) will direct his son Bilal Musharraf to quit US citizenship and straight head back to Pakistan in hour of need and stand shoulder with fellow Pakistanis."