The Pakistani dilemma -Caroline Glick
[N]ational security strategists across the ideological spectrum [agree] that it would be a global calamity of the first order if al-Qaida gets its hands on nuclear weapons.
Unfortunately, due to the rapid demise of nuclear-armed Pakistan as a coherent political unit, this nightmare scenario is looking more possible than ever. [I]f events continue to move in their current direction, it is likely that the Taliban and al-Qaida will take possession of all or parts of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.
[T]he Taliban now controls the lives of some 6.5 million Pakistanis. Since the Taliban took control of Swat in February, executions, public floggings and bombings of girls' schools, restaurants, video and music stores have become routine occurrences.
US Army General David Petreaus, who is responsible for the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has called the Taliban an "existential threat" to the Pakistani state. David Kilcullen, who advised Petreaus and now advises the White House, warned last week that Pakistan could fall within six months. The growing consensus in Washington is that Pakistan is a far greater danger than Afghanistan.
Against the wishes of the US, [Pakistan has] continued to surrender territory to the Taliban in the framework of "peace accords." [T]he Pakistani[s] oppose US military action on Pakistani territory, preferring to allow the Taliban to take over the country.
[Jerusalem Post]
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[N]ational security strategists across the ideological spectrum [agree] that it would be a global calamity of the first order if al-Qaida gets its hands on nuclear weapons.
Unfortunately, due to the rapid demise of nuclear-armed Pakistan as a coherent political unit, this nightmare scenario is looking more possible than ever. [I]f events continue to move in their current direction, it is likely that the Taliban and al-Qaida will take possession of all or parts of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.
[T]he Taliban now controls the lives of some 6.5 million Pakistanis. Since the Taliban took control of Swat in February, executions, public floggings and bombings of girls' schools, restaurants, video and music stores have become routine occurrences.
US Army General David Petreaus, who is responsible for the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has called the Taliban an "existential threat" to the Pakistani state. David Kilcullen, who advised Petreaus and now advises the White House, warned last week that Pakistan could fall within six months. The growing consensus in Washington is that Pakistan is a far greater danger than Afghanistan.
Against the wishes of the US, [Pakistan has] continued to surrender territory to the Taliban in the framework of "peace accords." [T]he Pakistani[s] oppose US military action on Pakistani territory, preferring to allow the Taliban to take over the country.
[Jerusalem Post]
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