As I've expressed elsewhere around the Blogosphere, with Pakistan now doing "The Right Thing", and finally fighting back against the Taliban, The US now has a unique opportunity to win the "Hearts & Minds" of the Pakistani Populace.

With the huge Humanitarian Crisis being created as civilians flee the fighting in their Villages and Provinces, the need for massive aid and assistance presents Us with the chance to show these people that we are not their enemy, and that we are not an Imperialist power, intent on ruling their entire region. Given our long-time support of the Musharif regime, and our precieved involvement in the Bashir Bhutto assasination, we must put a Huge contingent of health care and refugee assistance people on the ground, and allow these displaced people to see us as a force for good.

 

Failure to do so will bring about a situation wherein we become, (once more), a recruiting tool of the Taliban, and the Al Queda factions who are fighting alongside them. These terrorists have always presented us as "The Great Satan", who is an unfeeling SuperPower intent on killing Muslims, and stealing their land and resources.

Another backlash that is soon to happen, is that the new Government in Islamabad will be portrayed as a US puppet regime, intent on killing and destablizing their citizens to please their masters in Washington.

With their recent errors on the firing of the Chief Justice, and their ill-concieved treaty allowing the Taliban to run Sharia Courts in the Swat Valley, this Pakistani Government was seen as weak and apethetic before the present Military actions began. With the meetings in Washington a week before this fighting began, they are already on thin ice, and need all the Aid and Support that the Western Nations can provide.

If...

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Tags: foreign relations usa, herman g. morgan iii, hippyvets opinion blogs, humanitarian crisis, pakistan, pakistani refugees, usaid

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