Administration’s Dangerous Ideologically Motivated Mideast Policies

Western officials have shown themselves to be dangerously delusional and pathetic. In the midst of all the Mideast turmoil, they continue with their standard line in insisting that the answer to regional peace and stability is for Israel to surrender territory to terrorists. Someone should notify General James Jones that what would really make the world a better place and give people more hope would be to defeat the global jihad.

Also we need to cut off all aid to Pakistan since the regime essentially is holding one of our citizens hostage. But as usual, the Obama adminisration displays weakness and passivity in the face of a provocation against America.

Ideologically-driven strategic ineptitude

By Caroline B. Glick

Many believe that the Obama administration are just screw-ups. If only that were the case

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | In the midst of the political turmoil engulfing Egypt and much of the Arab world, last month’s revelation that Pakistan has doubled the size of its nuclear arsenal over the past four years has been largely ignored. Nuclear proliferation analysts from the Federation of American Scientists and the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) assess that since 2006 Pakistan has increased the size of its nuclear arsenal from 30-60 atomic bombs to approximately 110. That makes Pakistan the world’s fifth largest nuclear power ahead of Britain and France.

As for delivery systems, according to the Washington Post, Pakistan has developed nuclear-capable land and air-launched cruise missiles. Its Shaheen II missile, with a range of 1,500 miles is about to go into operational deployment.

Wednesday Pakistan test-fired its Hatf-VII new nuclear-capable cruise missile with a 600 kilometer range.

The Obama administration has been silent on Pakistan’s nuclear proliferation activities. As ISIS President David Albright said to the Washington Post, “The administration is always trying to keep people from talking about this knowledgeably. They’re always trying to downplay the numbers [of Pakistan's nuclear warheads] and insisting that ‘it’s smaller than you think.’”

Pakistan’s nuclear growth goes on as its economy is in shambles, its government is falling apart and a large portion of the country’s territory is controlled by the Taliban. Pakistan is the largest recipient of US foreign aid. In 2009 Congress approved a five-year $7.5 billion civilian aid package. Last October the Obama administration proposed supplementing the aid with $2 billion for Pakistan’s military.

The administration requested the supplemental aid despite criticism that economic assistance to Pakistan indirectly funds its nuclear project since Pakistan is in an effective state of bankruptcy. Moreover, a US Inspector General report published this week concluded that the $7.5 billion in assistance has achieved little.

For their part, the Pakistani government and military adhere to a radically anti-American line and Pakistan’s powerful ISI intelligence service and large sections of its military continue to maintain intimate ties with al Qaida and the Taliban.

Last month Pakistani police arrested US diplomat Raymond Davis in Lahore after he killed two gunmen who were reportedly about to rob him at gunpoint. Pakistani law enforcement officials have charged Davis with murder and refuse to release him to US custody despite the fact that he should enjoy the protection of diplomatic immunity.

Rather than attempt to quiet passions, the Pakistani government is fanning anti-American sentiments by among other things, releasing a videotape of Davis’s police interrogation.

To date, while members of Congress are beginning to threaten to curtail aid to Pakistan pending Davis’s release, the administration has limited its response to this de facto act of hostage taking by Pakistan to refusing to hold high-level exchanges with Pakistani leaders. And even this limited response has been inconsistently implemented.

continue