Changing Sides

Pakistan closes the border to U.N. trucks carrying supplies to troops fighting in Afghanistan, the Wall Street Journal reports that Pakistan's intelligence service, the ISI, is supporting the Taliban against the U.S. in Afghanistan, and Pakistan says it's our ally while acting like a country that doesn't want to take sides, or at least take our side. Meanwhile, the Pakistani military doesn't close off their northern border, claiming it is unable to do so.

I've been wondering what would happen if we changed sides, and sided overtly with India against Pakistan/Afghanistan? India has sufficient troops to occupy and subdue the region, with our supply, logistical and airpower support. Would India be willing? I don't know. Would Pakistan become more cooperative if we publicly speculated about the possibility? Perhaps.

Would a China that has problems with its own Islamic minorities side with Islamic Pakistan/Afghanistan against India? Another imponderable. I don't see Russia, yet another classic player in "the Great Game," taking the Islamic side as they battle domestic Islamic insurgents throughout their southern provinces.

Pakistan might have to look to Iran for a reliable ally. Even there they face the Sunni-Shia conflict.