Pakistan is at war with Islamic radicalism. This is difficult because about a third of the population still favor Islamic radicalism as the cure for all the nation's ills. But as a result of the recent New York City operation, American diplomats have warned the Pakistanis that if the Islamic terror organizations in Pakistan are found to be behind another attack inside the United States, political pressure will force the U.S. to send troops into the tribal territories, even if this enrages many Pakistanis. Pakistani politicians don't like this, but understand how a democracy works, and know that the American troops will invade if the Pakistani based Islamic terrorists are not crushed.
Interesting. Candidate Obama did say he'd invade Pakistan if he had to. Perhaps that wasn't just campaign trail rhetoric, after all.
Already, the Pakistanis are not making a stink of our drone attacks inside Pakistan. And they are firm that relations are just fine despite the Times Square bombing attempt traced back to Pakistan's Taliban:
Up to 18 American missiles slammed into a Taliban sanctuary in Pakistan close to the Afghan border Tuesday, killing 14 alleged insurgents in the third such strike since a failed car bombing in New York drew fresh attention to the region, officials said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's foreign minister said the nation's ties with the U.S. have not suffered as a result of the bombing plot, which Washington has linked to militants with bases in the lawless border regions.
The number of missiles fired into North Waziristan was unusually high, reflecting multiple targets.
They struck cars, homes and tents across a wide area in the Doga area, where insurgents have hideouts and training facilities, two intelligence officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. The identities of the people killed in the attack were not immediately known.
So would it be fine if we sent troops into Pakistan to search for Taliban and al Qaeda? And if we do that type of limited incursion into an enemy sanctuary, will our Left sit still for it or will it hit the streets as their parents did forty years ago?
I'm guessing that while Nixon couldn't get away with his military operation, Obama will get away with it. The president does have a shiny, new Nobel Peace Prize, if you'll recall. We may need a new geo-political expression--only Obama can go to Cambodia.
