In that spirit, I'd like to recount a conversation that I had while sitting at a steak restaurant in Dubai, and ultimately ask of you, the political-minded forum dweller, an opinion.
Joining me at this steak restaurant were three ex-pats; one Greek and living in Dubai, one Pakistani and living in Dubai, and the other French and living in Italy. Also in attendance was a fellow from our finance center in Argentina, a fellow Illinoisan of the Caucasian persuasion, and our corporate SOX manager, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Pakistan.
Inevitably, we began discussing the geo-political boondoggle that is the Middle East, and how it's entirely the fault of the U.S., U.K., and Russia. I brought up a recent article which described Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's anger at the Obama administration for apprehending the local Taliban number two, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Karzai had apparently been communicating on the down-low with Baradar concerning future peace negotiations with the Taliban, and was miffed that Obama didn't ask for his permission before apprehending the terrorist and known harborer of 9/11 hijackers. This struck me as especially knuckle-headed considering the outcome of the Swat Valley "peace agreement" that fell through in Pakistan last year.
In this context, I asked, how do you solve a problem like
To this, both Pakistani natives replied with an emphatic "no", one even going so far as to put his fingers to his head in the shape of a gun, and stating that the only way to end the violence is to "kill them all."
So, what say you, policital-minded forum dweller?
How do you solve a problem like Af-Pak?
Turn the region into a glass parking lot, and let Allah sort 'em out.: | 16 (45.7%) | |
Increase troop deployment, a la the Iraq Surge, and wait for improvement.: | 2 (5.7%) | |
Targeted counter-insurgency focused on predator strikes and minimal troop involvement.: | 2 (5.7%) | |
Facilitate local governments in pursuing peaceful negotiations while maintaining one of the two options above.: | 6 (17.1%) | |
Bring our troops home, and let the locals unravel their own damn problems.: | 9 (25.7%) | |
Total: | 35 |
For the record, I'm somewhere between the second and third options, but leaning towards the third given recent news like this.