RE: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,163664,00.html

No doubt! South Asia is strategically important to the stability of the World order. But, can we leave it to the South Asians to sort it out for themselves? Japan, India and China need a safe passage through the Straits of Malacca. America does not. Pakistan needs a security arrangement with India; we don't. Half of Opec needs safe transit through the Gulf of Hormuz; we wouldn't if we didn't have so much of our military resources inside the Persian Gulf.

Our drug problem and the threat of terrorist attack are better controlled at our borders and on our shores, than in Colombian jungles or in South Asia's high plateaus and mountain valleys.

Our oil comes from domestic, West African, and Latin American sources.

We have already decided to accomodate new members to the nuclear club, as long as their shore are beyond the range of existing missiles to Israel.

What goes on in East Asia (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China) and what goes on in Eastern Europe (Balkans, Baltics, Poland, Turkey, and Russia) are much more important to our national security and our economic future than What goes on in South Asia.

Oh my! Oh my! Did you hear that? The Taliban's in Pakistan! and maybe Osama? and maybe Al Qaeda! and Pakistan has nukes! and a Sherrif named Mooh! Why didn't anybody tell me? Why didn't we know this before? Oh, we did? Ooooops.