Either Pakistan will assert complete sovereignty over the Northwest Frontier or it will not. One or the other. If Pakistan is responsible for what happens in the Northwest Frontier Province, it must be held responsible for what comes out of there. If Pakistan is not responsible for what happens there, Pakistan’s claim over the Northwest Frontier Province is null and void.

It is critically important that we not allow al-Qaeda to hide under a Pakistani nuclear umbrella. It is also critically important that we not allow al-Qaeda to hide under the ambiguousness of Pakistani sovereignty. If Pakistan is truly interested in stopping the Taliban, it must do it. There is no room for excuses.