The Politics of Afghanistan

Obama Triples Aid to PakistanPolitics is, at a very base level, the exchanging of favors for mutual gain. One of the biggest political stories going on right now is Obama and the Afghanistan issue- there are plenty of political moves being played there.

Japan is choosing to let an Afghanistan refueling contract with the U.S. run out just a month before Obama is set to visit them- but there is a new government in Japan, a new party in power and they are claiming that they want the U.S. to treat them as more equal. Well, not renewing a military contract is a great first step toward that, guys…

That would go in the hard-guy category, not on the side of exchanging favors for mutual gain. On the other hand…

Pakistan, inextricably linked to Afghanistan, will receive triple the amount of aid they were receiving because of a new bill signed by Barack Obama- wait, we didn’t hear any debate on THIS bill! "This law is the tangible manifestation of broad support for Pakistan in the U.S., as evidenced by its bipartisan, bicameral, unanimous passage in Congress," said Robert Gibbs, White House spokesman.

It is all non-military aid and goes to show you what a great politician Obama is! Rather than invade first and then try to claim it is a humanitarian, nation-building kind of thing like Bush did with Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama realizes that giving first is the way to make friends, and not just giving to them with troops but giving money for non-military actions. Well done, Obama.

While Pakistan is worried about the conditions that may come along with the money, the fact is they are going to take the money and they will help the U.S.

What do we want? Access to the hills along the Afghanistan border, assistance from the Pakistan government, and basically support from someone in the region.  

"This act formalizes that partnership [between the United States and Pakistan], based on a shared commitment to improving the living conditions of the people of Pakistan through sustainable economic development, strengthening democracy and the rule of law, and combating the extremism that threatens Pakistan and the United States," continued Gibbs.

Does it? Maybe. The White House spokesman will certainly spin it that way. But will the people of Pakistan rally in support of the U.S. cause?

Likely it will be split the way support for the U.S. is divided in Afghanistan- if the Taliban are currently in the hills between Afghanistan and Pakistan, they must have at least a few friends on either side of the border. So while the U.S. enjoys the support of the government in Afghanistan, we have seen that that does not mean victory or that it will be an easy ride. So what we are looking at is giving money to Pakistan and then trying to get them involved in the offensive in the mountains.

Hopefully it works- getting the folks in the mountains surrounded by un-sympathetic governments sounds like a pretty good strategy- maybe one good enough to adding 40,000 more troops to, Obama?