The Telegraph, U.K.

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For Pakistan, Both Obama and Romney Promise Further Suspicion and Extremism (The Nation, Pakistan)

"President Obama's explanation of why he failed to seek permission from Pakistan for the raid on Abbottabad - that if he had done so, Osama bin Laden would have escaped - was nothing but a scare tactic to deflect Romney's apt suggestion that Pakistan should have been consulted. It was unworthy of President Obama to reinforce the impression that Pakistan cannot be trusted. ... And with Romney backing extreme positions even before being elected, it is even more unlikely he will bring any justice."

EDITORIAL

October 26, 2012

Pakistan  The Nation  Original Article (English)

The Debates are over: Republican nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama shake hands at the end of the third and final debate, this one on foreign policy. Pakistan was a big topic, and stood out as an area that both candidates largely agree on. EXPRESS TRIBUNE VIDEO, PAKISTAN: Who is better for Pakistan, Romney or Obama, Oct. 24, 00:01:59

Contrary to expectation, the Middle East displaced Pakistan as the most prominent focus in the third and last U.S. presidential debate - this one on foreign policy. Not that the subject of Pakistan was forgotten. Incumbent President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney both committed to continuing drone attacks on Pakistan's tribal areas, and neither gave any indication the U.S. policy toward Pakistan would change, whoever the victor is.

As is the tradition, a single-minded pursuit of what is understood as American interests have trumped the fact that the policy is a source of plunging popularity for the U.S. in the region. Neither candidate offered any clarity or vision for post 2014 Afghanistan, but both agreed on a wishy-washy notion of having done enough for the conflict not to count as a loss - and after 11 years of war.

President Obama's explanation of why he failed to seek permission from Pakistan for the raid on Abbottabad - that if he had done so, Osama bin Laden would have escaped - was nothing but a scare tactic to deflect Governor Romney's apt suggestion that Pakistan should have been consulted.

It was unworthy of President Obama to reinforce the impression that Pakistan cannot be trusted. There is also no proof the president can offer to show that had Pakistan been consulted and made part of the operation, bin Laden would have avoided his demise. But Governor Romney's comment that Pakistan should be kept close mustn't be viewed with much hope. Keep in mind that he is an even stronger supporter of Israel than Obama, and pressed the president to commit America to join in any attack on Iran.

Posted by Worldmeets.US

The United States is a superpower. Indeed, it is the world's sole superpower. So its future foreign policy is of interest, sometimes overpowering interest, to other nations. But domestic economic considerations and not foreign policy will decide the U.S. election. The debate represents only a promise from the candidates of what their foreign policy would be if he succeeds. But it should be remembered that as a candidate, President Obama said that the Kashmir issue should be resolved, and then he did nothing about it. Similarly, in his first year in office, after being elected on a promise to end the war on terror and being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the war is not over and he is preparing to invade yet another Muslim country in support of Israel-Iran. And with Romney backing extreme positions even before being elected, it is even more unlikely he will bring any justice or balance to U.S. foreign policy.

The attitudes expressed during the debate should cause a rethink among the permanent and elected officials of Pakistan's government: how can a more sympathetic attitude toward Pakistan be fostered.

SEE ALSO ON THIS:

Frontier Post, Pakistan: Romney or Obama: Pakistan Leaders will Pay for Drone Attacks

Folha, Brazil: China and Mitt Romney: Tale of the Mandarin and the Yankee Plutocrat

La Stampa, Italy: Europe Goes Missing in Obama-Romney Foreign Policy Debate

La Stampa, Italy: No One Can Say American Don't Have a Genuine Choice

Liberation, France: Europe Warrants Just a Single 'Derogatory Reference' in U.S. Debate

Xinhua, China: Obama and Romney Best Not 'Go Too Far' Bashing China

Corriere Della Sera, Italy: 'Obama Prototype': Rome's Black Emperor, Septimius Severus

Guardian Unlimited, U.K.: Obama Fires, Romney Falters, but 3rd Debate Fails to find Flourish

BBC News, U.K.: Global Poll Shows Rest of World Favors Obama

The Economist, U.K.: A Win for Obama

Guardian Unlimited, U.K.: Obama vs. Romney: Third Debate in Gifs

La Repubblica, Italy: Game Change: Obama Comes Across as 'Non-Leader'

El Universal, Mexico: U.S. Ruling Class Favors Obama Victory

El Pais, Spain: President Romney Will Come to Regret Damaging Remark about Spain

El Mundo, Spain: Romney Lies About Government Expenditures in U.S. and Spain

El Semanal, Spain: Spain Asserts it has 'Little to Envy' in Regard to U.S.

El Pais, Spain: Mitt Romney and Spain: Is Ours a Failing Brand?

Le Figaro, France: U.S. Presidential Debate: Pro-Obama Media Suffers Major Defeat

Handelsblatt, Germany: For Germany, a Romney Win 'Would Have its Advantages'

Guardian, U.K.: U.S. Debate: No Zingers, but Romney Finally Lifts Off

Guardian, U.K.: Combative Romney Comes Out on Top Against 'Lackluster' Obama

de Volkskrant, Netherlands: Why Should We Care About America's Presidential Election?

The Bohol Standard, The Philippines: We Filipinos Must Learn from the American Election

Huanqiu, China: China Must 'Strive to Influence' American Presidential Elections

Gazeta, Russia: Why America's Republicans have No Foreign Policy

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[Posted by Worldmeets.US Oct. 26, 7:22am]