With Friends Like These…

I understand that diplomatic relations are complicated.  I also understand that diplomacy will never be one of my gifts.  But I also understand that having a weak President has put America at risk both now and in the future.  There is a lot to be said for being feared. Being liked is nice–not necessary–but nice.  Being feared prevents countries from doing things to you that will compromise your security and well being.

Today’s Financial Times reports that:

“The US now has information that Pakistan, particularly the ISI, gave access to the Chinese military to the downed helicopter in Abbottabad,” said one person in intelligence circles, referring to the Pakistani spy agency. The Chinese engineers were allowed to survey the wreckage and take photographs of it, as well as take samples of the special “stealth” skin that allowed the American team to enter Pakistan undetected by radar, he said.

That is not good news.  The article further reports that John Kerry, chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, went to Pakistan two weeks after the helicopter was lost in the mission that killed Osama Bin Laden to get the tail section of the helicopter back.

The Chinese have mastered the art of ‘reverse engineering.’  Between that art and the amount of computer hacking they have done and are doing, they are advancing rapidly in the area of military technology.  The fact that the Pakistanis were willing to show them the tail section of this helicopter shows how much credibility America has lost in that area of the world and how much China has gained.  It is time for the current leadership of America to stand strong and take action that makes it clear that this behavior on the part of Pakistan is unacceptable.  It really is time to review our foreign aid policies.