Pakistan. What, me worry?

In a casual conversation about Pakistan, when I was heading back from the beach with my sister, she said that the US helps Pakistan too much--despite it being a haven for terrorists, and despite Pakistan's single-minded obsession with India.

I replied that at least it is better now compared to a decade ago, and definitely compared to when the Cold War was at its peak. That is the best I could do as a Polyanna!

At some point, the US will have to change its approach because, as I have blogged many times, Pakistan is one hell of a disaster.

So, how about this NY Times report:

The United States has accused Pakistan of illegally modifying American-made missiles to expand its capability to strike land targets, a potential threat to India, according to senior administration and Congressional officials.

This news item will play in India how?: as more ammo to anti-Pakistan emotions, more ammo to fight any peace-making with Pakistan, and as bargaining chip with the US in order to extract concessions somewhere. Oh well, when will we ever learn? Are we that much a slave to that darned military-industrial-complex?

If there is not enough to worry about, the same NY Times report adds:

[The] subtext of the argument is growing concern about the speed with which Pakistan is developing new generations of both conventional and nuclear weapons.

“There’s a concerted effort to get these guys to slow down,” one senior administration official said. “Their energies are misdirected.”

At issue is the detection by American intelligence agencies of a suspicious missile test on April 23 — a test never announced by the Pakistanis — that appeared to give the country a new offensive weapon.

Oh, finally:

The country’s nuclear arsenal is expanding faster than any other nation’s. In May, Pakistan conducted a test firing of its Babur medium-range cruise missile, a weapon that military experts say could potentially be tipped with a nuclear warhead. The test was conducted on May 6, during a visit to Washington by President Asif Ali Zardari, but was not made public by Pakistani officials until three days after the meetings had ended to avoid upsetting the talks.

If all these don't worry you enough, how about this news item:

A Pakistani court has lifted restrictions on A.Q. Khan -- a Pakistani scientist who admitted to spreading nuclear technology to Iran, North Korea, and Libya -- Khan and his lawyer told CNN Friday.

Party on!!!