George Packer, in the NYer: "The core problem is that Pakistan is no longer really a country, if it ever was."
Actually George, the core problem might be that you (read, U.S.) have never understood it as a country.
as if Friedman wasn't enough now everyone wants to be a pseudo intellectual
Long time reader of this blog, one of my favorites. Curious what you think of the Hoodbhoy interview, actually Juan Cole says something quite similar in Salon as well: THE MUMBAI MASSACRE AND PAKISTAN'S NEW NIGHTMARES II. * The Mumbai Attacks: More Than Meets the Eye [edited to add link]
Sasha: I think Pervez Hoodbhoy's interview was good (a bit simplistic) - though my one quibble is that he continues to defend the Army. Or at least, he defends portions that he believes are good. I just don't see how the Army can be a force of good in that nation, any more. His broader points stand: the state is in three different civil wars, it is militarily over-extended, and the only solutions are internal growth of civil infrastructures, political dialogues and a reduction of the anti-Americanism.
or so I said earlier.
....reduction of anti-americanism...." now that is one noble pursuit