US, China, Pakistan: It Takes Two to Tango, but Three's a Crowd

Usually the definition of “allies” means two territories, countries, or nations that are working together in order to further mutual interests. Pakistan and America have for decades been considered allies, as they fought to conclude the vaguely termed War Against Terror in Afghanistan. The United States and China are officially allies, too-- economic allies, working in tandem to promote trade, good business practices, and further develop the economies of both regions. Pakistan and China are also allies; Pakistan was one of the first countries to have recognized China. Since then the two have maintained a long, stable history of mutual aid and cooperation. Until recently these various treaties seemed to work in their individual spheres, rarely overlapping and never under danger from or suffering from fear of their ally’s other alliances...until now.


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Immigrants from another world.

At the end of the day, I believe we are all immigrants, coming from another world and entering this one with such grace and fortitude that we remain resilient for the rest of our stay here. Eventually, we all know our stay here is temporary. No one is a permanent resident. In fact, most make this place home without becoming too comfortable, without forgetting our roots, without forgetting the place we will eventually return. Isn’t that the story of an immigrant? I’m a Pakistani-American. My family moved to the United States when I was just 2 years old. As a result, I didn’t really face too harshly the transition from one country to another. What I did encounter was the sameness, the human likeness, that all of us carry within our hearts. As a woman, I find that heart even more prevalent in the center of my being, and as an immigrant I see the struggle we all face as part and parcel of the human experience. It is our tenacity, our flexibility that underlines how similar all of us as human beings really are. It is these stories of diverse immigrants that come and establish themselves with a passion for life, with a retention of their home cultures yet an ability to adopt to the new one, that showcases the underlying humaneness that removes the facile contentions of difference and replaces it with an understanding of human unity.