updated 52 minutes ago

ISLAMABAD (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton started a South Asia tour on Sunday aimed at refining the goals of the nearly 9-year-old war in Afghanistan and pushing neighboring nations to work togetherin the fight against al-Qaida and Taliban extremists.

Clinton landed in Islamabad where she will underscore the need for Afghan-Pakistani cooperation in winning the war but also announce plans to beef up U.S. development assistance to Pakistan, which is rife with anti-American sentiment.

In talks with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Sunday and military and civilian officials on Monday, Clinton is seeking to convince Pakistanis the U.S. is committed to the country's long-term development needs and not just short-term security gains.

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What Hillary is working on is admirable and much needed. Pakistan also needs money for shoring up its abilities to combat Taliban.

Will the people of Pakistan support the government in culling the Taliban? There is cause to wonder about this. For most people, Taliban is just another (militant = powerful) tribe in the country, and so they would rather not get involved. That is a sentiment that goes against being able to tackle the Taliban.  Will they 'sell-out'?  No.  It is simply not in the culture to drink tea with friends and then sell them down the river.

As to Pakistan getting more aid from the US... No matter how much money we the US shower on Pakistan, they wil remain anti-American. There is tremendous jealousy in that country - of both America and India  -- jealously for their democracy and freedom.  Yet, Pakistan is very much a religious state that does not know how to extricate itself from religion.