If media reports are to be beleived, Pakistan is in a terrible state and the situation is fast deteriorating. Taliban is ready to take over. Zardari’s days are numbered. The military is simply not doing enough to contain the extremist threat.
Here are two very interesting articles on the situation in Pakistan. The first is an editorial from the NY Times while the other is a view from India in the Hindustan Times.
Mr. Kayani complains that his troops lack the right tools to take on the militants, including helicopters and night-vision goggles. The army should have used some of the $12 billion it received from Washington over the last seven years to do just that, instead of spending the money on equipment and training to go after India.
When Attacked, We Must Hit Back (View from India)
General Musharraf is still blatantly hostile to India as his last rant at the India Today Conclave demonstrated. Asif Zardari has refused to help in the investigation of the Bombay attacks. Terrorists continue to be sent across the border to foment trouble in India. Far from following a liberal policy, the new civilian government has done deals with the Taliban and imposed the medieval Sharia law in parts of Pakistan.
All opinion polls suggest that the average Pakistani hates India, loves Osama bin Laden and believes that 9/11 was a Jewish plot to malign global Islam. Worse still, the evidence suggests that if you push the Pakistani masses about their true identity they would pick Muslim over Pakistani. Do you have to be a genius to see that the good neighbour policy has been an utter and complete disaster?
Hillary Clinton and team have their task cut out. The mess in Iraq is unaviodable at this stage. The situation in Afghanistan is being addressed by an increase in troops. But what about Pakistan? Is the US going to wait until the damage is complete to react/respond?
Pakora Korner 