<p>I just noticed, Bethie. May G-d protect your dear sister and her husband, and keep them safe from harm.</p>
<p>Bethie–that is scary stuff. What kind of work do they do there? Are they going to try to leave? This must be really hard on you and your family.</p>
<p>USAID–I don’t know if they can leave and we can’t seem to contact them. My point is we can get caught up with ideology and isn’t it all about real people? Pakistanis I’m sure are suffering too. This isn’t all about politics.</p>
<p>Bethie, I hope your sister and her husband are OK and you will be able to get in touch with them soon.</p>
<p>Many, many recent world events have underscored the new reality that the United States has been greatly weakened by a) the Iraq war and b) the weak economy, of which the US dollar is symbolic. </p>
<p>Our adversaries (e.g. Iran) are feeling much more secure in the knowledge that we are unlikely to confront them militarily.</p>
<p>Our sort-of-rivals and friends (e.g., China, Russia) are flexing their muscles. Putin’s pronouncements were particularly bold and troubling to me.</p>
<p>Our sort-of-allies and friends (e.g. Turkey, Pakistan) are now no longer letting us twist their arms.</p>
<p>Our old reliable allies (e.g. UK) are distancing themselves from our misadventures. Even Israel is no longer interested in what Bush has to say.</p>
<p>Things are unlikely to change until January 2009.</p>
<p>bethievt: I hope all is OK with your sister and BIL. I can imagine how anxious this must make you.</p>
<p>Funny how this administration has overlooked the fact that the Musharraf govt. is one of the biggest state sponsors of terrorism (Kashmir) and that the military and the ISS is filled w/ sympathizers of Muslim extremists.</p>
<p>As for US military aid to Pakistan - instead of using it to fight the Taliban, the Pakistani military has used it to purchase heavy weapons which are of little use in a fight against loosely organized insurgent forces.</p>
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<p>Very well said k&s. I was an article which used a really good example to demonstrate the true extent of this happening.</p>
<p>I believe the author suggested, that Americans must first think of a hypothetical military coup in Canada (and Canada occupying Alaska, sponsoring terrorism etc) to understand the magnitude of the coup.</p>
<p>Btw, it’s ISI :)</p>
<p>My sister and her husband are ok–what a relief!</p>
<p>Interesting example, SGupta.</p>