Karachi Violence And The Existential Crisis of Pakistan

[Valin]

Via Meadia:

Walter Russell Mead
8/17/11

Ethnic hate violence in the New York of Pakistan is out of control. Gunmen aligned with two competing ethnic/political groups, are carving up the city, each other and bystanders in brutal attacks on a scale not seen in the city in decades.

Matthew Green takes a look at the city and the violence in yesterday’s FT:
(Note Google: The killers of Karachi)
(Snip)

Karachi is important on a national scale as well. President Zardari is continuously involved with Karachi political parties in evolving coalitions. On one side is Karachi’s largest party, the predominately ethnic Mohajir, Urdu-speaking Muttahida Quami Movement, which is based on Muslim refugees from India who reached Karachi after Partition; the party has recently dropped out of President Zardari’s governing coalition. On the other side are ethnic Pashtuns who have migrated from northwest Pakistan and organized themselves politically into the Awami National Party.

(Snip)

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As I've said before Pakistan is not really a nation. It's a collection of tribes that really don't like each other very much.

[SrWoodchuck]

Valin!

 

What the US will be like.....if Obama gets a second term?

[Valin]

Valin!

 

What the US will be like.....if Obama gets a second term?

 

A. Nothing like Pakistan. Two different countries, two different cultures (and by cultures, I mean history, demographic, religion, culture in every sense of the word), we both have borders, we both have capitals...after that the differences start to widen rapidly.

 

B. Remember second term presidencies have normally been weak. And that even those who have much better political skills than "The One".

 

C. I don't think he'll get a second term. I have trouble in my daily life finding people that have much use for him. I really am kind of surprised (and I don't want to hit this to hard, party loyalty still means something) that he hasn't gotten some sort of primary challenge. Barring some sort of Second Coming type miracle and the economy starts really booming I don't put a lot of money on a second Obama administration. Of course it pays to remember that one of the names of the GOP is the stupid party...say Ron Paul wins the nomination.