What is to be done with Pakistan? Will the new Prime Minister, Yousaf Gilani, be able to leverage enough influence politically in his country to rein in the extremist elements inside his northwestern border?.
The new PM appeared visibly uneasy in a joint press conference with President Bush just prior to retreating to the White House for lunch -as he should be. Anti-American sentiment and sympathy with Al-Qaeda still runs high in Lahore and Islamabad. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, a product of Western education (Harvard and Oxford), can no longer act as a moderating influence on Pakistani politics after tragically losing her life to an assassin a few months ago. Furthermore, the Pakistani intelligence service, ISI, has consistently been reported to semi-surreptitiously side with Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban.
The new PM appeared visibly uneasy in a joint press conference with President Bush just prior to retreating to the White House for lunch -as he should be. Anti-American sentiment and sympathy with Al-Qaeda still runs high in Lahore and Islamabad. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, a product of Western education (Harvard and Oxford), can no longer act as a moderating influence on Pakistani politics after tragically losing her life to an assassin a few months ago. Furthermore, the Pakistani intelligence service, ISI, has consistently been reported to semi-surreptitiously side with Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban.
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Due to recent terror attacks in Jerusalem, Istanbul and across India, Gilani will come under greater scrutiny and pressure to arrest militants than his predecessor.
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Another political variable may also be added to the volatile mix. Senator Barack Obama has moved beyond the hypothetical in several comments by suggesting that he would order a strike on Al-Qaeda inside Pakistan if US national security was deemed to be under threat if elected. The unintended consequences and political fallout from such a move can only be imagined.
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As a nuclear-armed state, Pakistan represents a significant 'unknown' to international relations scholars and specialists.
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For detailed analysis, see the following article 'CIA Outlines Pakistan Links With Militants'' by the New York Times in the link below:
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Question: Will the new prime minister of Pakistan successfully be able to largely eradicate and/or control extremism in his country over the next year?
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J Roquen