September 28, 2011U.S. on a Collision Course with Pakistan and Iran
Holding sway over Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States' presence in the Middle East is threatening vested, deeply rooted Pakistani and Iranian interests across a region of vital geopolitical importance. But with a souring U.S. economy, Islamabad and Tehran may be looking to ride out Americans’ withering support.
On the same day that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered his litany of anti-American accusations to the U.N. General Assembly, the Senate Armed Services Committee questioned the newly appointed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the retiring Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen on Iraq and Afghanistan. The picture that emerged indicated clearly that the real threat stemmed not from the two countries themselves, but rather from their neighbors, Iran and Pakistan.
Recent weeks have seen a steady escalation of highly targeted violence in Afghanistan, including an attack on NATO headquarters and the U.S. embassy compound, both in Kabul, as well as the ... read more @ link
