Victor Davis Hanson Speaks, Barack Obama Listens
In May of this year, just after the termination of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, our own Victor Davis Hanson wrote a post about the tenuous "friendship" between the United States and Pakistan. Victor concluded by advising the president to end our aid to Pakistan.
What then might we do? I think the key would be to smile and praise Pakistani cooperation and then begin cutting U.S. aid by about 10% a month, without fanfare or publicity, until at the end of the year we're just “friends”....
As far as I can tell the only support for continuing the status quo with Pakistan is fear that without the bribery things could get much worse. Perhaps, but reverse that: not giving them aid would be a bad situation, but could giving them aid be worse? As I understand it, the $4-5 billion we gave Pakistan between 1982-1990 was supposed to guarantee that they did not acquire the bomb. They eventually did, and so we imposed sanctions as well—until 9/11. We've tried aid, no aid, sanctions, full diplomatic relations, estrangement,etc. At this point, all have failed, and failure without $3 billion a year is better than failure costing $3 billion a year.
Today, from the New York Times:
The Obama administration is suspending and, in some cases, canceling hundreds of millions of dollars of aid to the Pakistani military, in a move to chasten Pakistan for expelling American military trainers and to press its army to fight militants more effectively....
Altogether, about $800 million in military aid and equipment, or over one-third of the more than $2 billion in annual American security assistance to Pakistan, could be affected, three senior United States officials said.
Ignore the part of the article that explains that much of the aid is now being actively refused by the Pakistanis (rather than us refusing to give it to them), and it sounds like the president is finally beginning to heed the advice Victor Davis Hanson. Would that it were so!
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Apr '11
Re: Victor Davis Hanson Speaks, Barack Obama Listens
That's sorta kinda a big thing to ignore though, isn't it? It sounds more like someone who wasn't invited to a party and just says, 'Well, I didn't want to go anyway.' It doesn't sound like an active disengagement on the part of a president who wants to reach out to the Islamic world. I'd be happy to be wrong and thrilled to hear Mr. Hanson has the ear of the Executive, but I have my doubts.
Edited on Jul 10, 2011 at 4:00pmMar '11
Re: Victor Davis Hanson Speaks, Barack Obama Listens
I'd also doubt that Mr Obama reads VDH.
In the words of Mr Brooks, this was a no-brainer.
May '11
Re: Victor Davis Hanson Speaks, Barack Obama Listens
VDH, in this analysis of the situation in Pakistan and in all of his writings, expresses timeless truth and pragmatic wisdom. Obama seems to arrive upon policy in America's interest with the frequency of a blind pig. Randomly at best.
Re: Victor Davis Hanson Speaks, Barack Obama Listens
Victor Davis Hanson on the podcast on this subject was riveting. It was the highlight of Vol. II so far. More VDH, please!!!!