Quote (!) of the day: on Afghanistan

“Military reinforcements are only a small part of the response. To win the support of the Afghan population, you must bring economic development and prove you can not only change their lives, but improve them.”

The bizarre things about this statement is that it is from, of all people, the president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari.

Pakistan, which has done everything possible to make sure that the screwed-up American-led war would be even more screwed-up now offers this sage commentary?  WTF, eh!  Wait, he said this, too:

“The international community, of which Pakistan is a part, is losing the war against the Taliban because we have lost the battle for hearts and minds”

Gee, thanks!

What does the US government have to say about this?

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said U.S. President Barack Obama doesn’t share Zardari’s assessment of the course of the war.

“I don’t think the president would agree with President Zardari’s conclusion that the war is lost,” Gibbs told reporters at today’s regular White House briefing. “The actions and the efforts that the coalition, international forces and American forces have taken over the last several months have very much the hearts and minds of the Afghan people at the forefront.”

Great.  Will somebody in the White House please get Gibbs a cup of strong coffee so that he might wake up to the reality!!!

Meanwhile, the increasingly attractive government in the UK is out on an offensive against the Pakistani involvement in terrorism.  Which then triggered a whole lot of flag-waving against the UK, and Pakistanis demanded that their president cancel the planned visit to the UK.

The Pakistani government yesterday summoned the U.K.’s top envoy there after Cameron, visiting neighboring India, said Pakistan mustn’t be allowed to “look both ways” in the fight against terrorism. Television pictures showed an effigy of Cameron being burned by protesters in Karachi. 

  Cameron couldn't care less, it seems; good for him.
BTW, do you suppose the "West" is now regretting having forced the exit of Pervez Musharraf?