Historical Lens: How Past Proxy Wars Shape Today’s Pakistan Policy

Experts recall that in 1979 the United States and Saudi Arabia enlisted General Zia‑ur‑Rehman’s Pakistan to open a proxy front against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. Decades later, Pakistan’s dual‑track relationships with rival powers culminated in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a consequence the report links to earlier strategic miscalculations. Continued reliance on Pakistani forces in the anti‑terror fight has, according to the analysis, handed the Taliban leverage in Kabul and imposed heavy costs on American taxpayers.