Kerry Resumes Pakistan Negotiations

John Kerry is putting a lot on his plate. Shortly after laying the groundwork for peace talks between Israel and Palestine, the new secretary of State jetted off to Pakistan, where he announced that high-level security negotiations between the U.S. and Pakistan will soon resume. He has invited Pakistan’s new prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to Washington. Negotiations with the U.S. broke down in 2011, after a U.S. airstrike accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on the Afghan border. The U.S. wants to strengthen the civilian government (the military has long been in control), and get Pakistan to help fight extremists and pressure the Afghan Taliban into negotiations. Pakistan wants the U.S. to stop its drone attacks.