In comparison, Iraq is a *simple* place compared to Pakistan… For all her faults of being a politician, Benazir at least understood that the things she had done, her father had done, Zia ul-Haq had done, Yayha Khan had done, Jinnah had done, were making things worse, not better. The first Muslim riots in Pakistan? The 1950′s. The first terrorist organizations supported by Pakistan? Early 1960′s. The first extremists to be supported? Late 1970′s by Benazir’s father. Apparently the Cluebat was finally deployed a bit on Benazir once she understood that her continuing that tradition was making things *worse*.

Pakistan is not only highly tribal like Iraq, but the tribes tend to ‘switch sides’ to suit their fancy. You have one tribal power, the Baluchs, who feel they were cheated of autonomy once Pakistan stood up. Still do, and they also run terrorists in Iran to try and destabilize things there so that they can unite across the border. The Pashtuns were put under a border decree by the British Empire that would last 100 years. It *expired* with Afghanistan never accepting it and the Pashtuns only so-so on the idea and really wanting autonomy, just not willing to give up some of the goodies to get it.

Has to say something where a Nation that is highly tribal is willing to outwait a 100 year decree!

Then there is Kashmir which decided to go two different ways and devoutly to do so! Throw in Jammu and you have a tasty blend of tribal strife that would be supported by Pakistan’s ISI and State Dept.

Has anyone mentioned the heroin trade? Or gold smuggling with semi-precious stones? How about ‘terrorist taxes’ on populations? Towns set up to make automatic weapons and even artillery pieces? And don’t even get started on the entire Bangladesh fiasco, where the US would side with China and Pakistan and spur India on to their first nuclear device in 1974.

Iraq? Damned simple in comparison.

Think of Pakistan as being like the Balkans, but about 10x nastier, but still keeping that ‘long war’ view that lasts centuries.

And, no, I don’t think the State Dept. or INTEL Community is really set up to deal with it.

Choose your next President carefully, rhetoric is *not* a solution and is a part of the problem.

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Musharraf can not stay in power forever. How did we get into a position when it may be likely that his successor is Islamist. Unfortunately the blame can not always be placed upon Carter. Pakistan has a population of 160 million and nuclear weapons. Do we have a Plan B after Bhutto’s death ?

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This looks like a job for our foreign political expert Jimma Carter. We should allow him to do to Pakistan what he did to Iraq, and we all know how well that turned out. He and his party get my vote. /not.

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