A CRITICAL RELATIONSHIP – AT 11:20 A.M. ET:  Again, it is so easy to be distracted by all that is going on in the Mideast.  Let's not forget that American forces are fighting in Afghanistan, and that next-door Pakistan, a nuclear power, is one of our most critical relationships, anywhere in the world.  That relationship is in big trouble, with potentially catastrophic results.  From ABC:

Even in diplomatese, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes it clear that the U.S. relationship with Pakistan is not in an ideal place.

On “This Week,” ABC News’ Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper asked, “Has this relationship gotten worse in the last six months, U.S.-Pakistan?”

“Well, Jake, it's a very challenging relationship because there have been some problems,” Clinton said. “We were very appreciative of getting our diplomat out of Pakistan and that took cooperation by the government of Pakistan,” she said, referring to the release of Raymond Davis, the American CIA contractor recently released after months in a Pakistani prison on charges of murdering two men in Lahore.

“We have cooperated very closely together in going after terrorists who pose a threat to both us and the Pakistanis themselves. But it's a very difficult relationship because Pakistan is in a hard position trying to figure out how it's going to contend with its own internal extremist threat,” she said.

COMMENT:  Translated:  There's a lot of support for Al Qaeda in Pakistan, and within the Pakistani government. 

If Pakistan slips to the other side, with its arsenal of nuclear weapons, we will face an unprecedented threat.  It will also be a sharp rebuke to those who say we've exaggerated the danger of terrorism.  These political ostriches never seem to consider the potential for terrorists to get their hands on atomic weapons, already built and store-bought. 

Look at what's happening all over the world.  And then look at who's in the White House.

Remember bomb shelters?  Start digging.

March 27, 2011