W acted with deference to Pak under Musharrif because he understood how the "political" process in Pak works. W maintained an open dialogue, O has not. O's ignoring Pak objections and doing whatever he wants to do has gotten the US nowhere. Touting the number of air strikes and terrorists killed is a temporary tactical and political gain, but masks the fact that an increase in those numbers demonstrates strategic failure. The US, and for that matter the Western world, is not a war with islam. That doesn't change the fact that islamic fundamentalists are at war with the Western world and have been for some time. I'm not suggesting 2 billion followers of islam openly support terrorist activities. But how many did it take on 9/11? How many did it take in Breslan? Tanzania? Khobar Towers? USS Cole...? It's not the numbers needed to conduct and support terrorist attacks; to me, it's the number of islamic followers who are apathetic towards them.
Decapitating the Al Qaeda leadership and denying them safe harbor in Pakistan is not a strategic failure, not in the war against Al Qaeda. We are kicking their asses in their hiding places in four countries. I don't see it as any kind of strategic failure with Pakistan either. Bush's kissing their islamic asses did us no good, there is no need to continue that. Frankly, Pakistan has got nothing we need, except for supply routes to Afghanistan and that issue is going away in 2 years. The country is seething with Anti-Americanism and has been for years even though we have been a military ally supplying them with the weapons they needed for their wars with India. I expect to see about $2 billion of annual military aid to Pakistan disappear in about 2 years. It is no longer buying us much influence, only an air base and a road that we won't need for long. India is no longer such a big client of Russia as it was with the Soviet Union. India is developing huge economic ties with the US. I would not be at all surprised to see major US overtures to India. This will piss off the Paks even more, but who really cares. Meanwhile the very suggestion of the US changing sides in this region conflict constitutes tremendous influence and pressure upon Pakistan. It gains us a major ally in keeping the Chinese out of the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf.
red is half right about obama and foreign policy. there is really nothing to be angry with barry about on that front. oddly enough i think we will be fine with whoever we elect on foreign policy. i never would have thought i would say that about obama, but he has been good. he has been pretty awesome with the drone attacks and for that i thank him.
View attachment 579 Well our standing should go up now! My cousin who just returned frpm Afganistan passed this along: MARINES rescue Afgan sex slaves
You had to have heard that the film creator dubbed over some of the actors words---like, the actors never even said Mohammed instead said master George.
