This is the side of realpolitik that completely sickens me; it doesn’t take Einstein to figure that the downstream effects of this brave new coalition will inevitably include destabilisation of Pakistan’s own social melting pot together with the proliferation of nuclear risks in the most unstable region of the whole world.
Mav, Pakistan is a military dictatorship and really always has been. No one rules without the approval of the military, and I don't think they've ever had an election in the country which was regarded by third-party observers as fair. I could be wrong, but I don't think so. Pretty hard to destabilise that kind of situation, and it plays into America's hands because, really, they only need the leadership's approval to do whatever they want.
Pakistan also has a fair number of Islamic fundamentalists, but I believe the military reckons it can contain them. I don't know how many people know it, but most of the Afghani Taleban ruling group were educated, if that's what you can call it, in Pakistan. Jerry Falwell probably was too, come to think of it.
I have a number of Pakistani friends who I'm worrying about right now.
