The Pakistani floods, which began on July the 26^th, after heavy monsoon rains, affected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh (which has the 2^nd largest economy of Pakistan), lower Punjab as well as parts of Balochistan. An estimated 2,000 people have died so far [1] with close to a million homes badly damaged or completely destroyed.  According to Yusuf Raza Gilani, the Pakistani prime minister, “20 million people have been affected by the country’s floods” [2]; far greater than the estimates of the United Nation, who have predicted the floods have victimized 14 million.

With structural damages, which are estimated to exceed, 4 billion American dollars [3] and agricultural damages, estimated, over 500 million dollars [4]; the Pakistani government’s last resort was to request monetary support. The IMF, whose main goal it is to support poorer countries and to stimulate undeveloped or damaged economies, has now offered to meet with the Pakistani government to discuss potential solutions to tackle Pakistan’s economical problems [5].

The International Monetary Fund to many are known to help out poorer countries by lending them money, thus enabling them to rebuild their economies. While others have the impression, such as myself, that the IMF is mainly a tool to further progress the globalization agenda; connected to other globalization supporting entities, such as the World Bank and the United Nations.

Decisions made by the IMF are, unlike its brother the UN, not 100% democratic. At the UN, every member state has equal voting rights and we can say it’s reasonably democratic, as far as democracy goes. In the IMF they play the game a little bit different. In the IMF the decisions are made by a vote of the Board of Executive Directors, which represents member countries. Unlike the UN, where every participating country has equal voting power, voting power at the World Bank and IMF is determined by the level of a nation’s financial contribution. Making the United States, who has roughly 17% of the vote,  the most influential country in any matter handled by the IMF (with its G7 partners, the 7 largest industrial countries, America has roughly got 45% of the vote).

It is safe to say that America has a lot of influence in the International Monetary Fund. Knowing this, what interest could America have in Pakistan? It is a known fact that American policy makers have used the IMF before to achieve foreign policy goals. Because of America’s voting power in the IMF, “it allows America to punish its adversaries and reward its allies”[6]. For example, during the Cold War, American Congress required the United States Executive Director to oppose the extension of IMF credit to any communist government. The United States can also use the IMF funds to promote its foreign policy, but also, when necessary, request support to establish these foreign policies.

The United States has always had a (un)healthy geopolitical interest in Pakistan, hence why a U.S. military presence would be favorable; Pakistan however disagrees and does not allow a U.S. military presence on its territory.  The United States have made it perfectly clear not to break the condition of having troops on Pakistani soil, but has said that it mainly has members of its intelligence services active in Pakistan (who are probably still looking for Tim Osman); a promise broken on many occasions. Not only does the United States have 200 ground troops on Pakistani soil [7], it is also a known fact that private security contractors (Xe, formerly known as Blackwater), hired by the United States have been operative in Pakistan [8].

But America is not the only one with a geopolitical interest in Pakistan; they share it with the People’s Republic of China. China and Pakistan have been allies since the 1950’s and have been sharing military intelligence, economic support; Chinese support to Pakistan and technical assistance. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, China has been a steady source of military equipment to the Pakistani Army and also has helped Pakistan to set-up mass weapons production factories and also have given technology assistance and modernized facilities [9].Furthermore, China helped Pakistan with their space program by launching their satellite into space, due to lack of a space port [10].

Next to having close relations, they also have something else in common; both, in the past, have had conflicts with India, America’s ally. Pakistan who had wars in 1947, when the Indian subcontinent was partitioned and the two countries became independent of Great Britain;  in 1965 and 1971. These conflicts lie in the hostility between Hindus and Muslims and, initially, in the disposition of self-governing princely states. China  had the Sino-Indian Border Conflict in 1962 with India. This was mainly caused by a series of events, such as the Tibet controversy.

In conclusion I think it is safe to say that, if this deal, the deal between the International Monetary Fund and Pakistan, actually becomes reality, the chances are big that it will, America will use this as a perfect opportunity for its geopolitical strategies. America who on one side wants to protect and support its ally India, also wants to create geopolitical a border, if you may, around China. China who currently still has troops and military equipment in Pakistan, will slowly be forced out of Pakistan by America using the IMF to create sanctions against China. This will enable America to regain its Anglo hegemonic control over the region.

[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/world/asia/04pstan.html?_r=1&hpw

[3] http://www.thenation.com/article/secret-us-war-pakistan

[4] http://www.cfr.org/publication/10070/chinapakistan_relations.html

[5] http://www.aerospaceguide.net/worldspace/pakistan.html

[6] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10994989

[7] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10973725

[8] http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/business/03-floods-to-hit-economic-growth-finance-ministry-ss-04

[9] http://cber.iweb.bsu.edu/research/PakistanFlood.pdf

[10] http://www.tv3.ie/article.php?article_id=43128&locID=1.2.&pagename=news

After a long time of being inactive and also because the website was sending out viruses, mainly because of me neglecting the maintenance of the site by not upgrading the website’s security regularly, I decided to remove the website from the server; with it, also the database, thus, all the previous posts have been deleted.

The new Worldmechanics will be a different Worldmechanics. It will be a Worldmechanics not necessarily focusing on conspiracy theories, but rather on geopolitical issues and historical facts; which in some cases, naturally, include conspiracies.

That will be all for now. Thanks for coming back.