So now that the big White House summit involving the heads of state of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States has been held, are our NATO allies feeling more comfortable with Washington’s strategy?
According to Die Zeit‘s Martin Klingst – far from it.
For Die Zeit, Klingst writes in part:
“On Wednesday, President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton smiled for the media and spoke of a breakthrough. But neither could betray that there were no breakthroughs to speak of. … In essence, Washington is stumped, despite its new plan. Neither do we know whether Karzai and Zardari can be trusted – nor do we know whether the two will ever trust one another.”
“As Obama said he would make security and victory over the terrorists his priority, the Afghani and Pakistani nodded obediently. Yet at the same time, it became clear that they don’t agree with the American definition of terrorism. Opposition to al-Qaeda is unanimous, but there is a parting of ways when it comes to the Taliban. Are the Taliban really al-Qaeda allies who plant bombs, or are they simply insurgents, wanting to make policy in their own country – people you can’t subjugate, but who must somehow be involved? … One couldn’t help but feel that America might just be careening into a new war – one beyond the borders of Afghanistan.”
By Martin Klingst
,
Translated By Ulf Behncke
May 8, 2009
Germany – Die Zeit – Original Article (German)
Washington: Everything seemed to run like clockwork in the first hundred days of the Obama Administration. America’s economy is slowly regaining some of its strength, houses are selling again, Chrysler and General Motors are likely to be making cars in the years to come – and Americans are looking toward the future with renewed confidence. Moreover: the conservative opposition is particularly pre-occupied with itself, and a Republican senator [Spector] has just switched sides. The gods favored Barack Obama.
Then came days 106 and 107 – and with them the arrival in Washington of Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan. The problems are earthshaking. Meetings large and small were held virtually non-stop. Both heads of state arrived with a large retinue, ministers of every sector from defense to agriculture – as all are supposed to be harnessed to contribute to the new peace strategy.
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