Last Sunday's NYT says the president figured out some months ago that we had to cut losses in Afghanistan; the real problem is Pakistan. Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistani journalist--a brilliant man and writer who knows the major players--has been writing for years about the corruption, the multiform politicking-- fights between special interests (army, political leaders), between religious factions, moneyed interests and personal. Pakistan on the Brink and Descent into Chaos make things seem as unhappy as they must be. I can't keep it in my head, who can? Nor can I even imagine where the fix is. The only comfort is that somebody like Rashid does know what's happening. The prospect of intelligence is comforting. I hope the president's people are reading / listening to him.
