Are we expanding overseas military bases?

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-14/obama-to-see-pakistani-president-attend-memorial.html

President Zardari of Pakistan will attend the memorial service for Richard Holbrooke. I watched VP Biden on a news clip take the opportunity to explain how the US will help Pakistan become stable and better able to handle their problem with extremists. Pakistan is now dependent on billions of dollars of US aid -- without these billions the Pakistani government would collapse and fall into the hands of terrorists -- this is what we're told and this is why they say it's so important to help Pakistan. Do we even know where this money is going? I haven't read anything to suggest that Pakistan is making progress becoming sovereign, stable or in control of its extremist elements. In fact, according to assorted analysts, the closer Pakistan cooperates with the US, the worse their extremist problem becomes.

It hasn't been announced or made official, but it appears we've already established long-term military bases in Afghanistan and Iraq, much like the military bases in Europe and Asia. Everything points to the US establishment of a miltary base in Pakistan. As conditions erode in Pakistan, we'll want to get our money's worth in Pakistan and we'll demand the establishment of a military base.

It also appears that our involvement in the Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan has morphed from the War on Terror to the establishment of stability and democracy and to neutralize Iran by surrounding it. We have even gone beyond nation-building to region-building. No one any longer believes we'll pull out troops, because as soon as we leave the situation in the region will fall under the influence of Iran or chaos and extremist control. One possibility I don't hear considered is that responsible countries closer to the region will step in and help create a long term solution.

This is a dangerous route for the US. The longer we remain, the deeper we're involved and the longer we're pressured to stay. We're headed toward expanding our global police role at a time when we should be reducing it. The public silence on this is perplexing.

Not only can we not afford this expansion of long-term, long-distance military involvement and region-building, we should allow the countries in the region to resolve their own problems. As ugly as it might get if we leave, it's going to be much uglier if we stay -- the resentment toward the US that's building up in this region is going to explode at some point, and we're going to be smack in the middle of it. This could cause a many lost lives and completely drain the US. Does the American public really want this? Are our vital national interests at stake?

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[e Cig Pakistan]

The government has decided to expand its nuclear program, sources told SAMAA on Wednesday.

The government has asked the Finance Ministry tto provide funds to upgrade the missile program of the country.

Prime Minister Syed yousuf Raza Gilani presided the meeting of the strategic planing division on January 19, 2010. Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen, Chairman Joints Chief of Staff Committee General Tariq Majeed and Director General Strategic and Planning Division also joined the meeting, sources added.

The members of the meeting approved to supgrade the missile program of the country to maintain balance of power in the region, sources added.

[M. Farmer]

Thanks