Peril in Pakistan
The lead story in today’s New York Times is titled, “Deaths of 3 G.I.s in Pakistan Show Low-Key U.S. Role.” The article describes the background of military assistance to the Pakistanis, a sensitive topic since it intrudes upon Pakistan’s national sovereignty and since many in the population view the United States with suspicion.
Apparently, the men killed were part of a Special Operations unit, and they were travelling in a dangerous area to help mark the opening of a new school for girls, built with U.S. funds. The Taliban typically destroy any attempts to educate the female population as inconsistent with the Koran.
The article hypothesizes one reason the soldiers were killed — as retaliation for the increasing number of drone attacks against Pakistani targets. There was also some question of betrayal among the government forces since the soldiers were well camouflaged and protected by a cordon of vehicles.
Despite this setback, the attack tends to show the effectiveness of President Obama’s increased attention to the region, the area where many believe Osama bin Laden is holding out. Otherwise, there would have been no perceived need to retaliate.
However, the sensitivities of the Pakistani government are another matter, and we can only hope to continue to downplay our role behind the scenes.
