https://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2009/03/28/iraq-afghanistan-pakistan/feed/PJ Media is a leading news site covering culture, politics, faith, homeland security, and more. Our reporters and columnists provide original, in-depth analysis from a variety of perspectives.en-usWed, 10 Jun 2026 07:24:17 -0400<![CDATA[The Guardian reports that Britain now regards Pakistan and Afghanistan as &#8220;one theater&#8221;. While this makes strategic sense it also carries with it a hidden danger: Pakistan can only be included in the theater of its own volition, otherwise operations in Pakistan will constitute an attack across an international border. The political cooperation of Islamabad is now explicitly critical to the success of the entire campaign. Once Pakistan suspends its cooperation, the bottom falls out of the strategy. There is one further difficulty: this has implicitly now become a battle for Pakistan. The Jihadi elements will now concentrate on pressuring Islamabad into withdrawing support for the campaign against it. Destabilization efforts against the Pakistani government must now be expected. While the new strategy is necessary it carries the risk of escalation: the ante has been upped in a very public sort of way. Presumably the UK is reflecting the thinking of the Obama administration. But if BHO wants to escalate the campaign he must be absolutely determined to see things through to victory.]]>Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:14:24 -0400<![CDATA[Richard Fernandez]]>https://pjmedia.com/richard-fernandez/2009/03/28/iraq-afghanistan-pakistan-n187621