Geopolitics / Pakistan – The Ally From Hell

The Atlantic – Pakistan lies. It hosted Osama bin Laden (knowingly or not). Its government is barely functional. It hates the democracy next door. It is home to both radical jihadists and a large and growing nuclear arsenal (which it fears the U.S. will seize). Its intelligence service sponsors terrorists who attack American troops. With a friend like this, who needs enemies?

Geopolitics / China – Arab Spring, Chinese Winter

The Atlantic – James Fallows writes that just after the streets of Tunisia and Egypt erupted, China saw a series of “Jasmine” protests-until the government stopped them cold. Its methods were subtler than they had been at Tiananmen Square, and more insidious. Was the regime’s defensive reaction just paranoia? Or is the Chinese public less satisfied-and more combustible-than it appears?