tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414025411716568353.post6632772379125558754..comments2023-10-17T05:20:29.635-04:00Comments on Shadowed Forest of World Politics: Provoking a Pakistani-Iranian AllianceWilliam deB. Millshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07103937881679464836noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414025411716568353.post-70707962134957596422011-12-19T16:33:41.555-05:002011-12-19T16:33:41.555-05:00Author's Update:
An essay in the Pakistani me...Author's Update:<br /><br />An essay in the Pakistani media calls for pressure on Iran to persuade it not to go nuclear, portraying a nuclear Iran as a great danger to Pakistan. See http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/9310/nuclear-iran-not-in-pakistan%E2%80%99s-interest/.William deB. Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07103937881679464836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414025411716568353.post-24399832427604470882011-12-10T17:16:26.022-05:002011-12-10T17:16:26.022-05:00Author's Update:
The latest news as of Dec. 1...Author's Update:<br /><br />The latest news as of Dec. 10 is that Pakistan has upgraded defenses along its border with Afghanistan, but against aerial attack, not against insurgents. In case someone in Washington fails to get the point, the upgrade is explicitly aimed against the U.S. How long will it be before Pakistan gets Russian defensive missiles?William deB. Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07103937881679464836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414025411716568353.post-32897465261023417682011-12-05T18:17:46.842-05:002011-12-05T18:17:46.842-05:00Author's Update:
Within hours of posting this...Author's Update:<br /><br />Within hours of posting this essay, Pakistan has been reported demanding a formal rewrite of the rules of behavior for the U.S. to govern its military cooperation with Pakistan against Islamic radicals. See http://tribune.com.pk/story/302394/anti-terror-cooperation-pakistan-to-rewrite-rules-of-engagement/.)<br /><br />This underscores my conclusion that preventing degradation of US-Pakistani ties is up to Washington, which now appears faced with the tough (for superpowers) decision to treat Pakistan as an independent equal and negotiate for a positive-sum solution. <br /><br />That solution will no doubt require a fundamental rethinking of Washington's approach to Islamic radicalism, involving the acceptance of the right of Muslims to be radical as long as such radicalism is political rather than violent. In return, Washington's foreign policy will also have to be political rather than violent. And of course, those who want violence will try to upset this two-legged applecart. Hence the need for careful diplomacy, something almost precluded by the coming election. Most unfortunate for the U.S.<br /><br />And yet, Obama promised an investigation, and Gilani responded with extraordinary restraint. Imagine what U.S. Congressmen would have said if Pakistan had blown away a bunch of U.S. soldiers! So, hope is not yet lost.<br /><br />In any case, my congratulations to Islamabad, if it is serious about establishing its independence and then negotiating calmly. I only hope Washington can find the willpower to meet it halfway.William deB. Millshttp://shadowedforest.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414025411716568353.post-50886431984859639442011-12-05T18:06:32.862-05:002011-12-05T18:06:32.862-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.William deB. Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07103937881679464836noreply@blogger.com