Pakistan Goes Nuclear?

Today’s lead article in The New York Times is titled, “In Pakistan, U.S. Courts Leader of Opposition.” The article describes steps the Obama administration is taking to stabilize the Pakistani government.

Recent stories have described the increasing influence of the Taliban in Pakistan who have taken over the Swat valley and at least one other province. Their militants now control territory only 60 miles away from the nation’s capital in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari, has become increasingly weak and unable to stave off militant advances. As a result, the administration has approached his main rival, Nawaz Sharif, who’s popularity polls are in the 80 percent range compared to Mr. Zardari’s “in the low double digits.”

The maneuvering is tricky because Mr. Sharif is an Islamist, but the United States hopes that his beliefs will give him more power over that segment of Pakistani society and will enable actions against the militants that Mr. Zardari is not popular enough to undertake.

However, it’s always difficult to try to manipulate domestic affairs of another country as when George W. Bush tried to prop up the dictator President Pervez Musharraf. Bush then tried to promote an alliance with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, but she was fatally shot.

One can only hope that the actions of the Obama administration will be less heavy-handed than typical for the American government, an approach that has often worsened the final outcome instead of making it better.