WaPost columnist: Invade and occupy (parts of) Pakistan

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

"We don't think the world's great nations and countries can be held hostage by non-state actors," Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said yesterday. Fair enough. But what is the world to do when those non-state actors operate from the territory of a state and are the creation of that state's intelligence services?

One can feel sympathy for Zardari's plight. He and his new civilian government did not train or assist the Pakistani terrorist organizations that probably carried out last week's attacks in Mumbai. Nor is it his fault that al-Qaeda, the Taliban and other dangerous groups operate in Waziristan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of western Pakistan, from which they launch attacks on U.S. and European forces trying to bring peace to Afghanistan. For that we can thank elements of the Pakistani military, Pakistani intelligence and the late military dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf. Reversing decades-old policies of support for these groups may be impossible for any Pakistani leader, especially when the only forces capable of rooting them out are the same forces that created them and sustain them.

So if the world is indeed not to be held hostage by non-state actors operating from Pakistan, what can be done? The Bush administration is right to press Pakistan to cooperate fully with India's investigation of the Mumbai attacks. But that may not have much effect. Pakistani intelligence services have already balked at sending their top official to India to help. Nor is mere cooperation by Pakistan likely to satisfy the outraged Indian people. They, like Americans after Sept. 11, 2001, want to see some action taken against the groups that carried out the attacks. So all the warnings in the world may not be enough to forestall an Indian attack, especially given the Indian government's political vulnerability, even if it risks another Indo-Pakistani war.

Rather than simply begging the Indians to show restraint, a better option could be to internationalize the response. Have the international community declare that parts of Pakistan have become ungovernable and a menace to international security. Establish an international force to work with the Pakistanis to root out terrorist camps in Kashmir as well as in the tribal areas. This would have the advantage of preventing a direct military confrontation between India and Pakistan. It might also save face for the Pakistani government, since the international community would be helping the central government reestablish its authority in areas where it has lost it. But whether or not Islamabad is happy, don't the international community and the United States, at the end of the day, have some obligation to demonstrate to the Indian people that we take attacks on them as seriously as we take attacks on ourselves?

Would such an action violate Pakistan's sovereignty? Yes, but nations should not be able to claim sovereign rights when they cannot control territory from which terrorist attacks are launched. If there is such a thing as a "responsibility to protect," which justifies international intervention to prevent humanitarian catastrophe either caused or allowed by a nation's government, there must also be a responsibility to protect one's neighbors from attacks from one's own territory, even when the attacks are carried out by "non-state actors."

In Pakistan's case, the continuing complicity of the military and intelligence services with terrorist groups pretty much shreds any claim to sovereign protection. The Bush administration has tried for years to work with both the military and the civilian government, providing billions of dollars in aid and advanced weaponry. But as my Carnegie Endowment colleague Ashley Tellis has noted, the strategy hasn't shown much success. After Mumbai, it has to be judged a failure. Until now, the military and intelligence services have remained more interested in wielding influence in Afghanistan through the Taliban and fighting India in Kashmir through terrorist groups than in cracking down. Perhaps they need a further incentive -- such as the prospect of seeing parts of their country placed in an international receivership.

Robert Kagan, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, writes a monthly column for The Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8120102438.html

[alienlovechild 75]

Spread the war to Pakistan and have the allies reshape Pakistan. Doesn't this sound like nation building a la Iraq and Afghanistan?

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

After reading the book "Three Cups of Tea" and various other Political Science books, and speaking with my Pakistan friends there, and learning about the latest attacks in Mumbai I whole heartily agree that the international community can no longer ignore wasp nests in Pakistan. And that we have a responsibility to citizens of the world to go in and do something but with grace and ease if possible. I mean a ####### storm would break out if we just marched in there. Now if India took it upon themselves to mobilize their military...then perhaps an indirect war of international relations would be...

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

India can't take on Pakistan. If they could, they would have. Pakistan has near-parity with India militarily.

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

Maybe we could just add birth control to the water. I think a lot of the problems in these 3rd world countries could be solved with birth control.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Maybe we could just add birth control to the water. I think a lot of the problems in these 3rd world countries could be solved with birth control.

What about all the terrorists and potential terrorists who have already been born? Only a war will cull their ranks.

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

What about all the terrorists and potential terrorists who have already been born? Only a war will cull their ranks.

Well, since these people seem more intent on just following what someone else says you could found a suicide cult. Make up something about how they'll enjoy the afterlife if only they drink the fruit-punch. Then sit back and wait for the poison to kick in. I'll let you or Rupesh handle the details.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

What about all the terrorists and potential terrorists who have already been born? Only a war will cull their ranks.

Well, since these people seem more intent on just following what someone else says you could found a suicide cult. Make up something about how they'll enjoy the afterlife if only they drink the fruit-punch. Then sit back and wait for the poison to kick in. I'll let you or Rupesh handle the details.

they're already members of a suicide cult......

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

they're already members of a suicide cult......

Yeah, but this suicide cult will be cooler. Instead of being promised 72 virgins after death they'll be promised 72 copies of Playboy magazine and an hour alone in the port-a-potty.

Edited December 2, 2008 by Hoomsfuturewife

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

India can't take on Pakistan. If they could, they would have. Pakistan has near-parity with India militarily.

India has a population of 1,147,995,904

Pakistan a population of 172,800,000

That is nearly 1 billion more than them so maybe the largest non-western democracy needs a draft?

[alienlovechild 75]

India can't take on Pakistan. If they could, they would have. Pakistan has near-parity with India militarily.

India has a population of 1,147,995,904

Pakistan a population of 172,800,000

That is nearly 1 billion more than them so maybe the largest non-western democracy needs a draft?

Pakistan can't handle their own northwest territory, has lost 3 wars with India and its economy is a disaster. Where's the parity aside from maybe nukes?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

What about all the terrorists and potential terrorists who have already been born? Only a war will cull their ranks.

Well, since these people seem more intent on just following what someone else says you could found a suicide cult. Make up something about how they'll enjoy the afterlife if only they drink the fruit-punch. Then sit back and wait for the poison to kick in. I'll let you or Rupesh handle the details.

LOL. Radical Islam is a suicide cult. Good thinking though.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

India can't take on Pakistan. If they could, they would have. Pakistan has near-parity with India militarily.

India has a population of 1,147,995,904

Pakistan a population of 172,800,000

That is nearly 1 billion more than them so maybe the largest non-western democracy needs a draft?

Pakistan can't handle their own northwest territory, has lost 3 wars with India and its economy is a disaster. Where's the parity aside from maybe nukes?

But how does one level the playing field in this situation as from economics? The Saudi's sponsor beehives of fervent followers in fundamentalist ideologies who are part of these terrorist organizations. It's become a social problem in Pakistan. India as a result has been the victim of such attacks as of most recent. Other cell counter parts under the same methodology as the beehives in Pakistan have carried out attacks on Spain, England, the US, ect... A good source of them are in that region. I've read the articles and just like the WTC this wasn't the first attack on the Taj Mahal Hotel by these men. They once tried to run a car of explosives into the hotel. It blew a hole in the side of the building and a truck of explosives was supposed to follow the first car and drive deeper into the hotel and exploding there having the largest impact. Why do these suicide bombers pick structures of economic symbolism in Economic Epi-centers for their attacks so far?

Edited December 2, 2008 by Olivia*

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

India can't take on Pakistan. If they could, they would have. Pakistan has near-parity with India militarily.

India has a population of 1,147,995,904

Pakistan a population of 172,800,000

That is nearly 1 billion more than them so maybe the largest non-western democracy needs a draft?

Pakistan can't handle their own northwest territory, has lost 3 wars with India and its economy is a disaster. Where's the parity aside from maybe nukes?

The parity is a combination of the fact that both nations have nukes and in the fact that the Pakistani people are infinitely more able to sacrifice than the Indians are. Remember the Qandahar hijacking? Do you really think a Pakistani government would have capitulated to terror like that? No. Indians did because the Indian people are soft.