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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 Nixon-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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