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If one were to look at recent news only, one might conclude U.S. policy towards Pakistan is principally defined by the Afghanistan War (2001-2021). In reality, far more factors go into it. It can never be forgotten that the dominant force in Pakistan's foreign policy is its tense relationship with India, both having become nuclear states, outside the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Pakistan borders China, and its relationship there is important to the U.S. and India; in the past, the U.S. has "tilted to Pakistan" to support the Richard Nixon|Nixon-Henry Kissinger|Kissinger engagement with China. Terrorism is a challenge to Pakistan internally, but international terrorism, including the 9/11 attack, has originated in Pakistan. Pakistan also is an area of conflict between Radical Islam and secular, although Muslim-dominated, government.
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