Washington DC, April 12 -- While US Vice President JD Vance's departure from Pakistan without a signed agreement has been characterised by some as a diplomatic failure, Michael Kugelman, Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Centre, suggested that the "Islamabad Dialogue" is merely a pause in a much longer game.

In a post on X, Kugelman argued that the sheer seniority of the American delegation--and the domestic pressures weighing on the White House--indicated that the United States is far from walking away from the negotiating table.

"The US, for domestic political reasons, wants a deal that enables it to exit the war. That such a senior group flew all the way to Pak shows the US commitment. Despite Vance's comments, this ...