Afghanistan: What's Our Definition of Victory?

[jmm99]

are acting in someone's best interest - their own, as perceived by them.

(from Reed)
The big confusing question for me regarding A-stan is Pakistan and India. I want to say support Pakistan and coordinate with them in destroying Taliban and AQ elements in Pakistan. My support for this is eroded by the constant actions on Pakistan's part that suggest they are not working in anybodies best interests.

1. The AQ, AQ-linked groups and AQ-leaning groups (you could put the Taliban here) are useful to Pakistan in giving the Indians a rough time in Kashmir - and apparently in Bombay, as well.

2. Astan is a huge Paki problem unless it is controlled by a Power acceptable to the Pakis - the Taliban fit that bill.

3. The Pakis are afraid of major powers coming into Astan - Russians for a couple of centuries, now US; and, nightmare to them, India taking control of the old Northern Alliance area.

4. The Pashtuns are considered (and have been) Paki allies - hard to deal with allies, it's true.

5. If we (US) were in Pakistan and not in Astan, with their consent, their and the Pashtuns' attitude (including some Taliban) might be different - as it was when the Russians occupied Astan.

I've something of a pro-India bias, but I believe the above is a fair summary of the Pakistanis' problem.