Reply #1: The story is too unformed at this point to really be the top news story - especially with today's

[karynnj]

media. This is not the 1960s, where we saw the Vietnam War play out on the evening news.

Afghanistan/Pakistan should be the top story. Look at the GDP article that Pakistan could cut the NATO supply route for the war in Afghanistan and remember that if we did not have hundreds of CIA/contractors operating in Pakistan, we would not have "taken out" OBL. Those spies and the supply route are major contributions that Pakistan allowed. I suspect this is why it is in our interest to try to mend the relationship with Pakistan, which has always been unstable.

Here is a Politico article that speaks of Kerry's trip there now - the title, that Kerry says Hillary Clinton will go there, is the most significant news item. Kerry is clearly there trying to find acceptable face saving - for Pakistan - ways to mend the relationship. I assume that Clinton would not go unless there was a tentative agreement.

Kerry, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, arrived in Pakistan late Sunday after spending the weekend in Afghanistan in an effort to mend rapidly fraying relations and to make Pakistan a “real” ally of the United States.

After Kerry questioned Pakistani leaders about how bin Laden hid undetected in their country for years, the two sides agreed to a “series of steps,” which will “be implemented immediately in order to get this relationship back on track,” the Massachusetts said at a Monday morning press conference after meeting with Pakistani officials.

“I expressed as clearly as possible grave concerns in the United States over Osama bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan and existence here of sanctuaries for adversaries in Afghanistan,” Kerry said.

On Sunday, Kerry laid out his hopes for the trip, saying that “the moment we want to be hopeful and optimistic that we can work our way through this, get over this hiccup, and find a positive path forward,” The Associated Press reported.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/55028.html#ixzz1MWlEvnIq

This has to be a time where the administration clearly misses Holbrooke. The success or failure Kerry's (and Clinton's) trips will likely have a major impact on our future - and even more so the future of Pakistan, Afghanistan and even India. The best we can do is wish Kerry well on this trip and hope that he is soon safely back in the US.