In his speech yesterday President Obama laid out his plans for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He intends to send an additional 17000 fighting troops, 4000 troops for training Afghan soldiers and civilian officials to train Afghan police and administrators. Clearly the Americans are looking to hit the Taliban very hard in Afghanistan. At the same time they are going to continue using Predator drones to bomb Taliban and Al Qaeda inside Pakistan, probabaly expanding the area of operations. He has promised targeted civilian aid to Pakistan as well as military aid to help the Paki army to fight terrorists. Unfortunately the Paki army is an organised crime syndicate with huge business interests in everything from property to imports and exports. They are taking in huge protection money from the Taliban drug trade and have every interest in helping the Taliban continue fighting NATO forces. The army knows that its survival and wealth depends on the absence of peace because fear makes people turn towards its men in uniform. Pakistan broke away from India in 1947 and always compares itself against the standards set by its neighbour. While the Indian economy is booming giving India greater international influence the Pakis are having to beg for survival from the IMF. The army cannot allow Pakistan to become a basket case like Myanmar so it will need a war for its survival. If it starts to lose in the west it may start a war against India. Our survival depends on which gang wins the elections.