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Obama's Pakistan Nightmare
Pakistan is only one of the simmering foreign-policy disasters that await President Obama. We’ve all heard about Iran’s nuclear program, and about the Obama administration’s effort to lower the temperature of U.S.-Iranian relations by reaching out to Tehran. But how will President Obama react if Israel chooses to take unilateral action? It’s hard to see how the Israelis could succeed in attacking Iran without flying over U.S.-controlled Iraqi airspace, which means that any Israeli attack will at least look as though it has Obama’s seal of approval. In the absence of an Israeli strike, it’s easy to imagine that all the jawboning in the world won’t prevent Iran from going nuclear, a move that would lead Saudi Arabia and Egypt and possibly other regional powers to develop their own crash nuclear programs. And let’s not forget energy prices, one of the few “bright spots,” if you can call it that, of our economic meltdown. News of an Iranian nuke will propel gas prices skyward, endangering any recovery and possibly forcing the United States into rolling blackouts. The pressure on Obama to do something dramatic will be immense.
Finally, there is Mexico, a country that is more entangled with our own than any other. After various military thinkers floated the idea that Mexico was in danger of becoming a failed state, cooler heads countered by pointing out that Mexico is a big, relatively rich country that can handle its bloody war against the narco-gangs. And that could very well be true. But as Mexico’s economy continues to tank, and as unrest builds in the impoverished south, is it really unthinkable that the country could sputter and fail?
You can see why President Obama might feel a little bitter about the hand he’s been dealt.
Reihan Salam is a fellow at the New America Foundation and the co-author of Grand New Party.
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FNYGY1
This is scary stuff. I was in favor of the invasion of Afghanistan and aghast when Bush/Cheney/ Rumsfeld abandoned it for the folly in Iraq. My greatest fears are being realized - that in not finishing off the Taliban and truly rebuilding Afghanistan (a much cheaper task than the invasion of Iraq has proved to be) we have left ourselves open to the worst of all worlds - failure in two wars and no means to right either one. Yikes.
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muddog
Yes. Bush's idiotic / criminal invasion of Iraq has allowed this to happen, so like the rest of the messes Obama has to clean up this is yet just another....
I hear Bush received 100 Million for his Library, maybe we should sieze that money and use to to help rid Pakistan and Afganistan of the Taliban and pay for a criminal court to try all the thugs who got us in this position.
RuThless
The real question is why Hillary Clinton's State Department is focusing its mighty wrath upon the government of Sri Lanka which is succeeding in putting an end to the nightmare of mass-hostage taking (by the LTTE), all the while wondering what is going wrong in Pakistan. Tunnel vision is never good foreign policy.
Banjo1
Iraq is a far more important country than Afghanistan because of its location. Check out the atlas. Saddam Hussein -- remember him? -- was insane and his son and heirs were worse. Bad as things are in the Middle East, they'd be infinitely worse if he still ruled. Iraq would have nuclear weapons by now, courtesy of Pakistan or North Korea. So would Iran. The left doesn't know history or, if it does, doesn't think there is anything to be learned from it. Wipe your chins and bring it on, Obamatards.
muddog
banjo1.
Please bless us with your "History" lesson as to HOW IRAQ has been an added plus since invasion?
I suggest you join the Army and go fight 1st hand to make sure we are safe. Iraq is a debacle on any count, 4,000 dead Americans, 1000,000 dead Iraqi's (we kill them to free them??) 5 BILLION a month and Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to fall down the rabbit hole. Thanks to Cheney, Rumsfeld, Richard Pearl and all the other cowardly NEO Cons who foamed @ the mouth after 911, READ 911 gives us Cart Blanch to Invade. The American public knows it was duped...
There are lot of countries far worse than Sadam, I.E. China (it has killed far more of its citizens than Iraq has) Russia, Pakistan, North Korea...Do we invade them next? If so please join to show your Patriotism...
inexpugnable0199
Banjo boy, squealing like a pig. Clearly, you are stupid. Obviously, you are a coward. At least you''ve got a purty mouth...
KemCho
Obama is spending his resources to `punish' for so called `torture' committed by CIA officials. His first priority for safety of us is to find those nuclear bombs in Pakistan and neutralize them.
Roger12
Banjo continues in his clueless, unilateral Rambo mode now that he has solved the Iraq problem and is about to take on the next challenge. This is the same, clueless thinking that we had for the past 8 years that resulted in the mess we are in. Instead of going back to hide in his shack in Kentucky on Georgia, he is out again talking trash!
atwork
Does anyone else think it's kind of funny that the article is titled "Obama's Pakistan Nightmare" right below a big portrait, almost mug shot-esque, of Mr. Salam? I mean, he could be mistaken for a Pakistani. Mr. Salam, are you a threat to this nations national security?
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inexpugnable0199
Mr. Salaam is not your type, eh, Sidelines? Pakistan is a festering dung heap, sir. Your anti-Indian perspective is clouding your judgement.
I agree that Mr. Salaam is being overly alarmist, but his basic point is valid. The Pakistani military is on the verge of stepping in once again, further degrading any chance for the flowering of civil society in that perilously backward, nearly failed, state. But, what is the alternative when the only choice for the electorate is between the arch criminal Zardari and the utterly corrupt Sharif? Much of this is America's fault, the failure of our Afganistan policy since Carter is obvious to all observers.
Sidelines: India is a country with a multitude of problems but the Pakistani inferiority complex has been justly earned. Pakistan is a festering dung heap.
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doko84
Yet another article dedicated to obama-bashing and fear mongering masked with the wholesome glow of intellectualism and concern. "Rolling black-outs??" give me a break Reihan.
However, I will say that I think it is a mistake that we're putting so much effort into Pakistan. We have so many problems at home and we are still trying to solve the problems of the the totally screwed- up and chaotic middle east? I know it's complex, but seriously, wasn't our primary interest in pakistan capturing Osama Bin Laden? Why are we all of the sudden launching a crusade of freedom there?
Yes, it sucks what is going on there and at other points all over the world, but don't we have enough problems at home right now??
jhub32
Pakistan has nuclear weapons. Any group that takes control of the country will eventually get control of the nukes. And they will necessarily be people willing to use wreak atomic havoc anywhere they can. This means Pakistan is singularly, life-threateningly important. More important than lost jobs or the end of credit card over-consumption gone awry. If Pakistan and its nukes go, none of the rest of it will matter.
Banjo1
nexpugnable0199 says, "At least you''ve got a purty mouth..." Can someone explain why homosexual rape figures so frequently in comments here? I know a lot of gays post on Daily Beast, but are they prison inmates now or at sometime in the past? Any clarification would be gratefully received.
jhub32
Banjo, you tool, they write this stuff to you because you are constantly making ridiculous, homophobic comments in your posts. Their comments are the cheese and you are the fish.
boredwell
Gosh, you really mixed the nightmare scenario up by deviating from your opening gambit. Mexico and Iran!? I thought Pakistan was your theme here. Let's just concentrate on Pakistan which seems to be the biggest bud blooming bloody on the horizon. If the US, indeed the president, decided to effect either Plan A or B to "save" Pakistan from Talibanization, it would be a gross error. The US can't go on "saving" any nation. Especially if its based on ploiticized intelligence. We shouldn't be in the savior business. Haven't we learned any lessons from out invasion strategums?! We no longer have the resources militarily or financially. Besides, Pakistan promises to be more than Iraq and Afghanistan put together in terms of providing defensive, or creating offensive, actions. The world's powers would have to collectively join in to preemptorily manage any future fray. America can't afford to go this one alone.
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momwithamind
Reihan Salam is acutually not an Indian Muslim. If you must know, he is an American of Bangladeshi origin. I agree that perhaps he is alarmist but maybe he is raising a needed alarm...What I find disturbing is your need to personally bash (ugly??) someone who is making an argument you don't agree with. Salam is not Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter...
AsgharShah
Heard of this plan of breaking up Pakistan and greater Baluchistan nearly 20 years ago. Question why is that where ever U.S. goes weither in Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan it creates bloodshed and mayhem, Back to the greater Baluchistan theory, it is all about OIL , again a pipe line from Afganistan to the port of Gwader, this has been the U.S. plan for over 20 years. and now it may be coming to fruitation otherwise why else are we in Afghanistan ?
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