View From The Top, 3 October 2008

-- The Economist has an article pointing out the duplicitous nature of ISI in re: Taliban, Haqqani, or HIG et. al. It raises a good point that even if Zardari wants to change ISI, the Pakistani military still holds the power. I can't imagine it will be easy to convince the generals to loosen their grip, what with India only growing more powerful.

-- Kings of War has a good post on a realist plan for Afghanistan, including the possibility of installing an "acceptable dictator." Read it. I think they're onto something with the idea that many in Europe are looking for a way out, and that while any success would be a "coalition success", failure will be placed at the feet of America alone.

-- DoD creates an AFRICOM command center. Not a lot they can do at the moment, I suppose, other than fight small outbursts of terrorism or genocide, but I like this move, a lot. We'll see down the road, I'm convinced that our charity and aid to the African continent will have some returns down the road. Places like Rwanda and South Africa will remember who extended them a hand.

-- Washington Times has a couple of pieces up, each about Afghanistan. Arnaud de Borchgrave has one up that sounds quite despondent, as it takes into account the U.S. deficit's growth over GWB's administration paired with the need for more resources in AfPak. Also, note this paragraph:

NATO believes more troops in Afghanistan are needed to restore the initiative. France agreed and is sending 100 more of its elite troops, bringing the French total to 2,700. France, which lost 10 soldiers killed in a Taliban ambush last month, its largest military loss in 25 years, is also urging its European partners to lift all political caveats against putting their troops in harm's way. But French opinion polls show two in three French people want their soldiers home. French lawmakers appeared to be out of sync with their voters when they approved 343 to 210 a resolution to keep their troops fighting in the war on terror in Afghanistan.

Another conflict that needs addressing, I'm afraid.

The other is from O'Hanlon and Shearer preaching cautious patience with AfPak. While a "surge" is needed in region, we shouldn't expect a fix in 9 months a la Iraq. Amen. They offer up the suggestions that now seem nearly consensual: build ANA and ANP, invest in Afghani infrastructure, assist Pakistan in its reforming initiatives in NWFP and FATA. Geez, that's a lot of acronyms.

-- The New York Times at its best: international reporting. Solid piece on the crumbling of the Pakistani state, at least in the western regions. And, to reiterate the "Islamothug" label I'm sticking on Taliban fighters, note this section:

Reports of Taliban terrorism are widespread. 

In one case, scores of Taliban fighters confronted Iqbal Ahmed Khan, the brother of Waqar Khan, a member of the provincial assembly. The fighters ordered Mr. Khan, who was with two of his sons, to choose the son he wanted killed, said the president of the Awami National Party, Senator Asfandyar Wali. 

After Mr. Khan was humiliated into choosing one son, the Taliban killed both boys, Mr. Khan and seven servants, Mr. Wali said.

-- Perhaps it is a little announcement in the grand scheme of things, but we should at least note the attempt to spark reformation discussions in Islamic quarters.

-- Dear President-Elect-To-Be Obama: please, please, pleeeease make sure Martin Kramer gets to talk to you at least once a month. You guys went to the same school! You can trust him!