These two, the Symington and Glenn Amendments, were passed in response to Pakistan’s efforts to achieve nuclear weapons capability; but to little avail. Washington’s cool relations with Islamabad soon improved. During the Reagan administration, the US turned a blind eye to Pakistan’s nuclear weapon’s program. In return for Pakistan’s cooperation and assistance in the mujahideen’s war against Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the Reagan administration awarded Pakistan with the third largest economic and military aid package after Israel and Egypt. Despite the Pressler Amendment, which made US aid contingent upon the Reagan administration’s annual confirmation that Pakistan was not pursuing nuclear weapons capability, Reagan’s “laissez-faire” approach to Pakistan’s nuclear program seriously aided the proliferation issues that we face today.

Not only did Pakistan continue to develop its own nuclear weapons program, but A.Q. Khan was instrumental in proliferating nuclear technology to other countries as well. Further, Pakistan’s progress toward nuclear capability led to India’s return to its own pursuit of nuclear weapons, an endeavor it had given up after its initial test in 1974. In 1998, both countries had tested nuclear weapons. A uranium-based nuclear device in Pakistan; and a plutonium-based device in India
Over the years of America’s on again off again support of Pakistan, Musharraf continues to be skeptical of his American allies. In 2002 he is reported to have told a British official that his “great concern is that one day the United States is going to desert me. They always desert their friends.” Musharraf was referring to Viet Nam, Lebanon, Somalia … etc., etc., etc.,

Taking the war to Pakistan is perhaps the most foolish thing America can do. Obama is not the first to suggest it, and we already have sufficient evidence of the potentially negative repercussions of such an action. On January 13, 2006, the United States launched a missile strike on the village of Damadola, Pakistan. Rather than kill the targeted Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda’s deputy leader, the strike instead slaughtered 17 locals. This only served to further weaken the Musharraf government and further destabilize the entire area. In a nuclear state like Pakistan, this was not only unfortunate, it was outright stupid. Pakistan has 160 million Arabs (better than half of the population of the entire Arab world). Pakistan also has the support of China and a nuclear arsenal.

I predict that America’s military action in the Middle East will enter the canons of history alongside Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the Holocaust, in kind if not in degree. The Bush administration’s war on terror marks the age in which America has again crossed a line that many argue should never be crossed. Call it preemption, preventive war, the war on terror, or whatever you like; there is a sense that we have again unleashed a force that, like a boom-a-rang, at some point has to come back to us. The Bush administration argues that American military intervention in the Middle East is purely in self-defense. Others argue that it is pure aggression. The consensus is equally as torn over its impact on international terrorism. Is America truly deterring future terrorists with its actions? Or is it, in fact, aiding the recruitment of more terrorists?

The last thing the United States should do at this point and time is to violate yet another state’s sovereignty. Beyond being wrong, it just isn’t very smart. We all agree that slavering in this country was wrong; as was the decimation of the Native American populations. We all agree that the Holocaust and several other other acts of genocide in the twentieth century were wrong. So when will we finally admit that American military intervention in the Middle East is also wrong?

The “Logic” must be on both sides….McCain NEVER SAID that he would keep soldiers at this level there indefinietely. I wish people would get this right! It’s on you tube…actually take the time to listen to the whole clip.

LOGIC does say that if you don’t trust a situation you keep some troops there to keep it from happening again. Do you really think that AL Qaeda won’t be back if we leave all together. We have NEVER left those that we defended so vulnerable. I DON’T EVEN LIKE THE FACT THAT WE ARE THERE…BUT IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR THEM AND FOR THE MEMORY OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE DIED TRYING TO HELP!

Afganastan has needed help for a LONG TIME, but why is it that no one is questioning Sen Obama fixation on Pakistan? Are we just going to switch battlefields? Sure sounds like it to me.

And if you have the audacity of hope to get a straight answer from his team….you really do believe in change!

Dear Isabelle,

We have some good news today, and it’s all thanks to supporters like you.

In the month of June, the DNC raised approximately $22 million — our best month of the year by far.

This is a stunning achievement, and it’s to your credit. People like you heard the call, and thousands have answered it.

But we’re facing opponents with staggering resources at their disposal. The Republican National Committee finished June with nearly $68 million in the bank.

We can’t stop now. We’re counting on you to help us close the gap.

Please make a donation of $5 now to keep building our momentum and bring about the change this country so desperately needs:

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The DNC does not accept donations from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs.

But John McCain and the RNC have no such standards, and together they raised nearly $100 million in June. Add to that the huge checks brought in by shadowy outside groups, there’s no telling how much our opponents will spend on attack ads.

They’re not backing down, and neither can we. Only by working together can we fight back against the massive funds they’re raising from special interest PACs and Washington Lobbyists.

It’s up to you. Take a moment now and strengthen our movement for change:

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It’s going to take all of us working together to defeat John McCain and the Republicans, and we can’t do it without you.

Thanks,

Tom McMahon

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That is a scenario MacCain-Bush would lead us to, and we have to stop going on that path. Obama’s reading of our security situation is much more realistic, and achievable. It is aimed at stopping this Iraq war, and focusing on the real terrorist threat. We certainly dont want to be in Iraq ‘for the next 100 years’, or follow ‘anyone to hell’, just becuase they are going there.