---
title: "Is There A Russian Angle To Trump’s Recent Crackdown On Pakistan?"
date: "2018-01-16"
modified: "2018-01-16"
authors:
  - name: "Tom Ricks"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/tom-ricks/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/russian-angle-trumps-recent-crackdown-pakistan/"
categories:
  - "Analysis"
  - "Around the World"
  - "Indo-Pacific"
  - "News"
  - "Russia"
tags:
  - "donald trump"
  - "indo-pacific command"
  - "the white house"
---

# Is There A Russian Angle To Trump’s Recent Crackdown On Pakistan?

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/18986605-1.jpg>)

I suspect that Trump’s pal Putin played a role in the president’s recent tweetdown on Pakistan.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/948322496591384576

My guess is this: Putin gave Trump his personal guarantee that U.S. military supplies would have no problem being shipped by train through Russia to Afghanistan. In the past, the U.S. military has been unhappy with the time and expense of the Russian railroad route, as well as the high rate of pilferage. But I bet Putin said he would take care of those problems, thus freeing [Trump to denounce Pakistan](<https://www.wsj.com/articles/pakistan-says-alliance-with-u-s-is-over-1515155860>) and [to cut off some aid](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-aid/u-s-suspends-at-least-900-million-in-security-aid-to-pakistan-idUSKBN1ET2DX>).

Of course, the ones who pay for this gambit likely will be Afghan security forces, who can be hit easily by Afghan militias and factions working hand-in-hand with Pakistan’s intelligence service.

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-placeholder-title-59.png>)