Just as it’s naive to assume the U.S. isn’t desperately trying to meddle in Pakistan’s politics. That’s why it was good of Boucher to call Khalilzad out on this. He has no business operating his own networks in that country, especially in his current position.

Maybe Khalilzad was a force behind Benazir’s return, and so were those millions of Pakistanis who voted for her party, the dozens who lost their lives on the first attempt at her life…Sometimes you are dead confused. What did you want? A continued reign of Musharraf who would play America like yo-yo? Arm-chairists got convinced of Musharraf’s dualities at least about three to four years AFTER Khalilzad first voiced public concern over Pakistan’s aid to the resurgent Taliban. Check news reports from March 2004. As for the sad end to Benazir’s sought redemption, you might want to look at what Ron Suskind had to write: http://watandost.blogspot.com/2008/08/musharraf-linked-benazirs-security-to.html

Somebody also needs to check if Boucher is senior than Khalilzad. I thought the Ambassador/Chief of Mission to the U.N. was a cabinet level job.

It is a bit naive and wrong of you to think that the U.S. is “showing an ounce of sensitivity for the deadly consequences of its meddling in Pakistan’s politics.” It simply isn’t. Count Boucher’s trips to Pakistan since the February elections. And if it is, this is not the way to do it. You shouldn’t be leaking the contacts a senior official is having with a leader of Pakistan whose good-will might come handy. This is turf-war played at the expense of sober policy towards Pakistan. The leak is only going to add to the perception that the U.S. is involved in Pakistan’s internal affairs. The failure of the U.S. is not in its involvement in the internal affairs of Pakistan. As a major player in that region, it will, like it or not, be involved. The point here is how to mask that involvement. Leaks to the NYT don’t help.

“…A US UN ambassador plotting to take the place of a US ally?…”

Not so strange. In 1996, french national and government minister Salome Zurabshivili(sp?) was given permission to leave for Georgia and become its foreign minister. It was under her competent hand that she negotiated the early withdrawl of russian peacekeepers from Georgia. How was she repaid by Saakashvili? She was fired because she wanted to work with real professionals in the foreign ministry and not loyal Saakashvili-ites. She now leads a very small opposition party.

Khalilzad has strong ties to senior officials in this administration. He has a reputation for acting without consideration to the formal, specified lines of authority, especially within the State Department.