Pakistan's View of the U.S.

Walter Russel Mead has written a very interesting article for The American Interest Online on how Pakistan views the U.S. and why we aren't so very popular there. He writes from Pakistan where he has spent some time learning the answer to this question.

Mead has identified four issues that come between our two countries: India, Afghanistan, America's negative attitude toward Islam, and the degree of perceived U.S. influence over the Pakistani government. Of the four he spends the most time on Pakistan's stormy relationship with India. It seems to color almost everything that happens in Pakistan.

Perhaps we need to remind Pakistan of the immortal (or immoral) words of Prime Minister Henry Temple, aka Lord Palmerston, speaking in 1848 of England:

We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow.

And having told Pakistan this is also true for the U.S., we might cultivate our relationship with India, at the expense of Pakistan. Apparently many in Pakistan suspect we are moving in this realpolitik direction already.

I suppose Pakistan's response to the Palmerston quote would be a reminder that they can share nuclear weapons with al Qaeda. Does that constitute checkmate? It is certainly blackmail.

My source for the Lord Palmerston quote is Wikipedia.