[Geo News] The United States (US) not only supports the democratic government of Pakistan but it also is in favour of military offensive against the militants besides making long-term investments in the Pakistani people, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Congress on Thursday.We "support" all sorts of nice-sounding things: Whirled Peas, not wearing white after September 1st, and the right of children to have Ward and June Cleaver for parents. We also support A Woman's Right to Choose™ and Childrens' Right to Life™. We support energy independence and we support not drilling for our own oil because we don't want to upset the snail darters or the spotted owls.
We're supporting the Pakistani military as they take on the extremists who confront their country's stability,' she said.
But we don't want any combat operations carried out close to innocent wimmin and kiddies and puppies and kitties and such...
'We're making long-term investments in Pakistan's people and the democratically elected government through targeted humanitarian assistance.'
"Long term" doesn't involve a continuation of the Discredited Policies of the Bush Administration©, which means they've run since January 20th or as soon thereafter as somebody could type them up.
In both Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United States is not only providing substantial financial assistance but also holds their governments accountable for progress toward defined objectives, she said.
"Holding their governments accountable" doesn't actually involve killing anybody when they don't meet those defined objectives. We're big on road maps, but we put in lots of rest stops. Zardari's not going to go the way of Ngo Dinh Ziem.
Secretary Clinton said that in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and the Middle East the world faces trans-national threats like terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and climate change.
Has been for years. We've done lots of differernt things to try and introduce peace and stability, all with approximately the same results, though the corpse count has ebbed and flowed.
The region's urgent development needs ranging from extreme poverty to pandemic disease, all of which have a direct impact on America's security and prosperity and prosperity as well, she said. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, she said, US efforts centre on President Obama's goal to dismantle, disrupt, and defeat al Qaeda. 'This requires a balanced approach that takes more than military might alone. So we're expanding civilian efforts and we're ensuring that our strategy is fully integrated and adequately resourced,' she said.
Blah. Blah. Blah. And blah.