[pie_eater]

I recently heard a speech from a retired US General who fielded a question from the audience to the effect of "why didn't we just go into Pakistan and get Bin Laden ourselves?". His answer was chilling.

He said that Pakistan's leader has survived THREE assassination attempts. Radical Islamists are out to get him and take over the country. If we go insert ourselves into Pakistan, where the public opinion is more pro-Bin Laden than it is pro-American, it could push the balance of power right into the hands of the radicals.

Pakistan has been helping us. Granted, they're not gung-ho about it and probably couldn't find Bin Laden if they were. But they are at least finding and arresting bad guys.

In case anyone forgot, Pakistan has nuclear weapons. If the Musharrif government falls and the radicals take over, the radical Islamists have nuclear weapons.

It is believed that India would be so afraid of a nuclear strike from Pakistan's radicals THAT INDIA WOULD INITIATE THE NUCLEAR STRIKE THEMSELVES PREEMPTIVLEY.

To recap the scenario:
1) We send our military into Western Pakistan to find Bin Laden ourselves
2) Anti-American radicals topple the Musharrif government
3) India, fearing the impending nuclear attack, strikes first
4) Pakistan strikes back with whatever they have left
5) Presto, nuclear mutual destruction

That's why we don't push too hard on Pakistan's government to cooperate. They are cooperating as much as their domestic politics will allow.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Sorry to say this,but most folks here don't have a clue on China's role in this equation.Pakistan's nukes have Chinese markings all over it & were specifically aimed at containing India in the subcontinent-something that helps Beijing.Pakistan has recieved & still recieves vast quantity of weapons from China,which will remain it's most valuable ally,not the US.In the event of a US invasion of Pakistan-it will square up into a US/India vs China/Pakistan scenario & we all know neither India or Washington wants to take on the Chinese for now as China will never allow Islamabad to be dominated or decimated.Trying to see India & Pakistan through an isolated prism is well,foolish,period.

[Arjun]

>>Radical Islamists are out to get him and take over the >>country.
Dont buy that. The Army controls pakistan and nothing will change that. One general goes another will take over.
The so called islamic radicals can make noise but dont have the real power.
The idea that nukes will fall in their hands is also not plausible. Pak army is a big well financed organisation and does give a rats ass to what the mullahs say. If the people really had power in that country it would be a democracy. Its not.

>> THAT INDIA WOULD INITIATE THE NUCLEAR STRIKE THEMSELVES >>PREEMPTIVLEY
Even when they were at the brink of war a few years back India had said it will not strike first. So no chance of that happening.
The northern areas need to be invaded and set in order. Its pointless to be sitting ducks across the border in Afghanistan. It will also put pressure on pak to keep delivering.