[LINK] Weekend Snippets.

[Tom Koltai]

"We want to respect their sovereignty, but we also recognize that we
have huge strategic interests, huge national security interests in
making sure that Pakistan is stable and that you don't end up having a
nuclear-armed militant state
<http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=21844> ."

While pressuring Congress
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/world/asia/01policy.html?_r=1&ref=glo
bal-home>  to support "urgent" aid to Pakistan, the Obama Administration
intends to significantly expand the nascent US military training program
in the nation
<http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE53T6E620090430> .
Reportedly the president will discuss the matter with Pakistani
President Asif Ali Zardari during his visit next week, but senior
officials say that Pakistan has already agreed in principle to the idea.

The United States started a small training program for Pakistan's
paramilitary Frontier Corps
<http://news.antiwar.com/2009/04/30/2009/04/30/2008/10/23/us-training-pr
ogram-for-pakistani-forces-begins-but-distrust-remains/>  in October,
though officials in February also confirmed a "secret task force
<http://news.antiwar.com/2009/04/30/2009/04/30/2009/02/22/officials-conf
irm-secret-us-training-program-in-pakistan/> " of over 70 military
advisers were also dispatched to provide direct training and advisory
functions.

  <http://news.antiwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/zardari.jpg>
Historically, growing US training commitments have been a prelude to
more direct US military intervention. 




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