The Dynamics Of The Pakistan-U.S. Alliances During The Cold War: A Psychology Of Threat Perception

Abstract

Alliances are one of the integral elements of effective statecraft in international relations. Therefore, this study aims at explaining alliances and their formation, reviewing the history of alliances in general and the dynamics of the Pakistan-U.S. alliances during the Cold War era in particular to understand the psychology of threat perception. The study highlights that alliances are formed to enhance security in order to counter a mutual threat. However, a threat may be less or more but there is a difference between reality and perception as these are absolutely psychological phenomena that cannot be measured with numerical values. For instance, Pakistan allied as the most-allied ally of the U.S. based on presumptions with latent values to counter Soviet Union, because, there was no immediate, direct or a potential threat to the former, therefore, later their alliance became just a paper alliance. Based on the events between these two nations during the Cold War era, this study concludes that a potential mutual threat based on realities and patent values strengthens the alliance otherwise it becomes a marriage of inconvenience.