The Good VSPs on Pakistan Posted by Ilan Goldenberg

So I'm flipping through the television this evening and who do I find on CSPAN?  Mike O'Hanlon as a panelist on an AEI panel on Pakistan...  Seriously?  So here's a good list of people who you should be reading and listening to about Pakistan.  These are people who have actually been dealing with this region of the world for years. 

Ambassador Karl (Rick) Inderfurth,  Ambassador Teresita Schaeffer,  Stephen Cohen, and Bruce Reidel are all great sources.     There are more, but this is a good start.

Comments

[Dan Kervick]

It's dispiriting to see that the best Pakistan experts really don't seem to have any good, clear ideas about what should be done.

Personally, I would like to see the presidential candidates and other influential leaders use the opportunity of the Pakistan crisis to re-engage the US public in a serious debate about the possibilities for nuclear weapons non-proliferation, de-proliferation and even eradication. The backward movement on these fronts during the Bush administration is likely to emerge as one of its worst legacies. When I have night terrors about the threats to my son's future, I worry a lot more about nuclear weapons in China, nuclear weapons in Russia, nuclear weapons in India, nuclear weapons in Pakistan, nuclear weapons in Israel and nuclear weapons here in the US than I worry about the possibility that some terrorist suicide bomber or Sarin spreader will get him.

By the way, why do so many otherwise sober analysts insist on referring to female political leaders by their first names? "Benazir"? Isn't there something a bit old-fashioned and demeaning about this practice?

[J]

Seriously, why do people take O'Hanlon seriously? Putting aside what he has to say, he styles himself a jack of all trades, master of nothing. He's not a Pakistan expert, he's basically never been there, doesn't know any of the history of the region, can't speak the language, but we're supposed to listen to him. Twelve years ago, he was an obscure analyst at the CBO and then he got a lucky break with Brookings. Now he's supposed to be some foreign policy emininence, who can talk about Iraq, military transformation, and North Korea with expertise all at the same time. Give me a frickin break!!!!