If Pakistan doesn't decide to hit the snooze alarm once more in the GWOT I suspect it may more to do with Obama going to sleep on fighting terrorism, than it does events in Pakistan. The problem is, I'm not sure Pakistan can prevail alone.
It’s dawn over Islamabad as the Pak Taliban’s bombing campaign has united Pakistan squarely against Islamic extremism, and moves the Paks to action. In fact, some guys in Waziristan aren’t just changing the dynamic in Pkaistan. They may, inadvertantly, be changing the entire GWOT dynamic.
I agree, the dithering the article mentions, is the reason Pakistan is shoring up their defenses.
With Bush, the Paks could always depend on an attack from the north, if the Taliban got too close to Mainistani street.
But with Obama...who knows?
Thus, dithering can work at times. I expect Obama will get no credit for this.
Posted by: Xiaoidng | Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 09:27 PM
Why should he get credit? It's the GWOT for a reason. So, more of them go to Afghanistan and set up shop where Obama is already dropping the ball. Nothing smart about that. Or we lose Pakistan, too.
Posted by: Dan Riehl | Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 10:28 PM
He should get the credit, because it's his war, and it's happening on his watch.
Anything else is intellectually dishonest. If one does not give credit where credit is due, no one will listen to ones criticisms, they will have no legitimacy.
The fact that it is happening unintentionally (in my judgement) is irrelvant. Good luck is no orphan.
Posted by: Xiaoidng | Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 05:48 PM