Word: pakistani
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Even if democracy took root in Pakistan, it would be years--decades, probably--before it so improved the state of the nation that the swamps where militants breed are drained. Which is one reason that, in the past, some in Washington impatient with the Pakistani government have reached for a second option--one that backs the men in uniform rather than those in suits...
...size, the Pakistani military has not been an especially useful ally in the war on terrorism, in part because some elements of the army and intelligence agency are in cahoots with the Islamic militants they're meant to fight. But also the military is not equipped to deal with an insurgency. "For 60 years, the Pakistani army has prepared to fight the Battle of El Alamein against India on the dusty plains of Punjab," says Riedel. "It's never really thought about how to deal with enemies within its borders." Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, its long-range missiles, fighter jets...
...challenge for Holbrooke, says Fair, "is to thread two needles at the same time ... He has to get the Pakistani army to step up the fight against extremists, even as he's telling the generals, 'Sorry, guys, we're making the civilians your bosses.'" In the past, the military has actively undermined every effort to put it under civilian control; expect more of the same. There are not many carrots the U.S. can dangle before Kayani to get him to change old habits. But the Biden-Lugar bill does provide some leverage: it requires $1 billion in military...
...area in which the U.S. has absolutely no influence is the security of Pakistan's nukes. The military won't let the U.S. anywhere near the arsenal. So the only way to avoid the nightmare of nuclear weapons in the hands of extremists is to trust in the Pakistani military's safeguards--and pray that Zardari and Kayani get serious about eliminating the extremists...
...there is one thing on which outside observers of the linked challenges of Pakistan and Afghanistan agree, it is that soothing regional tensions is an essential part of any solution. Pakistan, seeing Indian investment in Afghanistan, fears being encircled by its old enemy. Then there is the Indo-Pakistani dispute over Kashmir, the Himalayan territory that both nations claim. During the presidential-election campaign, Obama said repeatedly that resolving the Kashmir issue is a key to peace across South Asia...