Let's give credit where it is due. Joe Biden has
been light years ahead of all presidential
candidates in both parties, warning about
Pakistan for years, being the only candidate
to seriously raise the issue in the debates.
My hope for Iowa is that Obama and Edwards
make a caucus alliance for change, joining
together during the Iowa caucus at the local
level to maximize the change movement.
There is no doubt, however, that if any national
candidate was right about Pakistan, and earns
major presidential credibility, it is Joe Biden.
The fact is, the Bush obsession with Iraq has
endangered both the Afghanistan war, and
Pakistan, as Afghanistan deteriorates because
of lack of attention and allied support, and the
problems spill over the border to destabilize
Pakistan.
While Hillaryland will no doubt try to exploit
the Pakistan crisis against Obama and Edwards, Hillary was guilty as
charged
from 2002 through 2006 for supporting
the Iraq obsession, and guilt as charged
in 2007 for joining the Iran hysteria and
supporting the Lieberman-Kyle resolution.
It was Joe Biden and Joe Biden alone among
the presidential candidates in both parties who
warned, and warned again about the dangers
of Pakistan, who offered constructive proposals
to get out of Iraq, and opposed the Iran hysteria
of Lieberman-Kyle.
If serious, deep, credible, long term national
security experience is elevated by this sad
and tragic event, it is not those who succombed
to Iraq and Iran hysteria who should be touting
their "experience".
It is Joe Biden who was far ahead of the curve, and far ahead of all
other candidates, about the gravest danger in the region, which is the
nuclear and unstable dictatorship of Pakistan.