President Obama, in announcing his new and improved Afghanistan policy yesterday, reassured Pakistan that, “The United States has great respect for the Pakistani people.” And we demonstrate that respect by bombing the shit out of them using unmanned drones.
“To avoid the mistakes of the past, we must make clear that our relationship with Pakistan is grounded in support for Pakistan’s democratic institutions and the Pakistani people.” And we make that support clear, again, by bombing that democratic institution and killing those Pakistani people. I don’t know how they could possibly mistake that message.
“Pakistan must demonstrate its commitment to rooting out al Qaeda and the violent extremists within its borders. And we will insist that action be taken…” And, of course, giving them orders and insisting what they must do is the clearest possible statement of respect for the Pakistani people and their institutions of democracy.
He didn’t offer them any carrots or threaten them with any sticks. Those sophisticated instruments of diplomacy are apparently reserved only for enemies, whom we don’t bomb the shit out of, like Iran.
Or, perhaps, for briar patch nations whose diplomats are rabbits.
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