Pakistan in the First U.S. Presidential Debate

The policies of both major party candidates for the presidency of the United States with regards to Pakistan are wrong. Barack Obama advocates going after bin Laden and other high al Qaeda operatives even if they are in Pakistan. While most Americans agree with that position, it has the potential to militarize more of the Pakistani population. John McCain is in favor of continuing the same failed policy towards Pakistan that George Bush has implemented- sending enormous aid without condition, which invariably goes into the pockets of the ISI and then to militant Islamists.

Obama's plan is less dangerous than McCain's. While bin Laden has a high favorability rating in Pakistan, particularly among people who live in the NWFP, he is still a foreigner. So is the rest of al Qaeda's leadership. There could be a potential violent backlash if bin Laden is killed in Pakistan by the U.S. and bin Laden would become a martyr. But bin Laden is not the type of mythic hero to where his death would enrage Pakistanis to take up arms en masse. Pakistanis would be upset at the violation of their sovereignty, but the Pakistani government under Musharraf took advantage of U.S. aid. There is no indication that the new president, Asif Ali Zardari, can put a stop to the ISI's funding of anti-American extremist groups. So, standing up to the Pakistani government is a nice change of policy, even though it would be done in a reckless manner.

McCain wants to continue to indirectly fund al Qaeda and the Taliban by granting billions in aid to Pakistan. That money is not spent on building schools or other infrastructure projects, but instead goes straight to the military. The ISI, which is linked to the military, is then asked to find extremist groups to give a significant proportion of the aid. Pakistan funds these extremists to fight India in Kashmir and funds the Taliban to fight in Afghanistan. Pakistan does not want an Afghan government that is on friendly terms with India. The Karzai government has good relations with the Indians, which has left Pakistan surrounded. McCain's policy of keeping the status quo would result in the continued destabilization of the region.

The United States should ask the Pakistani government to go after al Qaeda, but leave other groups in the NWFP alone. Pakistan should incorporate these people into the legitimate political discourse in the country, which would pacify them and ultimately marginalize these groups because their world view is not popular within Pakistan. The U.S. should give Pakistan conditional aid, tied to projects that directly help the people of Pakistan, projects such as building schools.