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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group
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To: stockman_scott who wrote (54410)10/24/2002 12:11:21 PM
From: JohnM  Read Replies (3) of 281500
 
Zakaria has it exactly right. This is precisely the problem.

This is not simply a public-relations problem for Washington. Pakistan could stymie crucial efforts to flush Al Qaeda out of provinces along its Afghan border—provinces that are now run locally by Islamic fundamentalists. Scientists in its large nuclear establishment—some of whom were sympathetic to the Taliban—could leak know-how and materials to Al Qaeda. Indonesia could become a haven for terror—which, given its size and geography, would be a nightmare. And throughout the Muslim world, the growing anti-Americanism only makes it easier to recruit young men for suicide missions.
During the cold war, the United States had two approaches to confronting Soviet communism, military and political. The first involved nuclear weapons, proxy wars and covert action. The second was a concerted effort to build alliances with countries that had a common cause, foster trade and provide aid to Third World countries that eschewed communism. America built dams, funded magazines and created the Peace Corps all as part of this effort.
In the war against terror, we are doing well with military strategy. But it will count for little without an effective political strategy. Otherwise we will kill fundamentalists but feed fundamentalism.
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