Key Country: Pakistan

[smartarse]

I should have started this thread a long time ago, since many of you know my views on the importance of Pakistan (and what a good debate is). But events of the past week make me feel compelled to post something on here to try and ensure that people who haven't been paying attention to Pakistan, start doing so now.

This is a brilliant and concise analysis piece on the events of the last week and their potentially enormous significance:
www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3578

and if you don't know much about Pakistan, but are interested in knowing lots more, then check out this brief summary of history: www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?action=conflict_search&l=1&t=1&c_country=86 (and click on the link at the bottom for "reports and briefings" to get some extraordinarily good (and highly detailed) analysis of Pakistan.

[smartarse]

Here is an important update on the conflict between the Pakistani government, and the semi-autonomous western and north-western provinances. A peace deal has been signed with one (pro-Taliban) faction, in recognistion of the impossibility of defeating the militants by force.

www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/05/news/afghan.php

[smartarse]

Good stuff Tom, thanks for posting! Keep it up

[smartarse]

Spot on editiorial from the IHT on American support for Pervez Musharraf.

www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/23/opinion/edpak.php

[Chancellor of the Exchequer]

Earlier today, I decided to start trying to read the IHT more regularly, and I wasn't dissappointed. This article was on the front page, and it's got lots of useful facts, ideas and background about the situation in Pakistan and a possible solution:

www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/03/sports/bhutto.php