Earlier commenting on the state of the G.O.A.T, we had argued that:

Pakistan's role in the Global Offense Against Terror (G.O.A.T.) inspires zero-confidence given the abysmal results we've seen so far. As we write, Taliban and Al-Queda fighers based-in Pakistan continue to attack N.A.T.O. troops and kill ordinary Afghans. American-made helicopter gunships, artillery and night-vision devices donated to Gen. Musharraf to fight the Taliban and Al-Queda in Warzistan and North West Frontier Province are now used to kill the people in Balochistan. The United States should ask itself if the billions of dollars it is pouring into the coffers of Musharraf are yielding any result. Given the complicity of the Bush Administration, it is upto the Congress and Senate to take up this responsibility. The visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to the United States provides an opportune moment for such a scrutiny.

Now The Washington Post welcomes Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz during his U.S. visit with a hard-hitting editorial (via Secular-Right):

Ever since the war on terrorism began, this meretricious* military ruler has tried to be counted as a U.S. ally while avoiding an all-out campaign against the Islamic extremists in his country, who almost surely include Osama bin Laden and his top deputies. Gen. Musharraf has never directed his forces against the Pashtun Taliban militants who use Pakistan as a base to wage war against American and Afghan forces across the border. He has never dismantled the Islamic extremist groups that carry out terrorist attacks against India. He has never cleaned up the Islamic madrassas that serve as a breeding ground for suicide bombers. He has pardoned and protected the greatest criminal proliferator of nuclear weapons technology in history, A.Q. Khan, who aided Libya, North Korea and Iran. And he has broken promises to give up his military office or return Pakistan to democracy.

We had previously raised several of the issues pithily highlighted here. This editorial advocates further unilateral Hellfire missile attacks by U.S. forces into Pakistani territory if the situation merits it:

In keeping with his double game, Gen. Musharraf's government publicly criticized the latest attack even though his intelligence service reportedly cooperated with it. Now he and Mr. Aziz, who met with Mr. Bush yesterday, are saying U.S. forces should carry out no more such attacks without Pakistani agreement. We'll assume that's more of their bluster. Even if it is not, Mr. Bush should ignore it. Gen. Musharraf perhaps cannot be forced to side decisively with the United States against the terrorists, as the administration once hoped -- though much more could be done to raise the price of his feckless cooperation. But Mr. Bush must take every available measure to eliminate the al Qaeda and Taliban operations in Pakistan. If targets can be located, they should be attacked -- with or without Gen. Musharraf's cooperation.

Note how mainstream American newspapers such as this WaPo edit and the earlier comments from the L.A. Times and the Dallas Morning News rightly take a strong and even hawkish position against the General's vicious double game. Also observe that this is not about the newspapers being pro-Bush. In fact, some of these papers viciously attack Bush on other issues including the War in Iraq. But all of them advoacate a tough line when it comes to the real issues affecting the safety of American lives - both civilian and military. Au contraire, we have not seen even a single editorial from Indian newspapers which argues for taking down terrorist training camps in Pakistan by the Indian Armed Forces. How we wish their Indian counterparts emulate them in this aspect instead of thrusting us with the paens from the Candle Kissers Brigade™®©. *According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

meretricious. Etymology: Latin meretricius, from meretric-, meretrix prostitute, from meremacronre to earn -- more at MERIT 1 : of or relating to a prostitute : having the nature of prostitution 2 a : tawdrily and falsely attractive b : superficially significant :