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I met Richard Holbrooke at a conference in Kazakhstan a few years ago alongside the arch-neocon Richard Perle. I was surprised by the similarity of views they both held towards the Muslim world in general and towards what the U.S. was doing post- 9/11 in Afghanistan. And if we remember that Holbrooke was Hillary Clinton's senior policy advisor, we will understand where he is really coming from. After all, Hillary Clinton supported the Iraq war until it became unpopular in the U.S., when she conveniently changed positions. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan— Accept that Obama has nothing positive to offer Pakistan . On the contrary, following the drone attacks, he moved to name Richard Holbrooke as Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to cut off a major chunk of money owed to Pakistan for military services rendered . And what has our reaction been? Without looking at Holbrooke's record, we have welcomed his appointment, and in response to the cutting of money owed, we have decla...

• US forces to step up operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan • Pakistani president tells US ambassador strikes 'do not help war on terror' The Obama administration warned the US public yesterday to brace itself for an increase in American casualties as it prepares to step up the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan and the border regions of Pakistan. Against a background of widespread protests in Pakistan and Afghanistan over US operations since Obama became president, the vice-president, Joe Biden, said yesterday that US forces would be engaged in many more operations as the US takes the fight to its enemies in the region. The Obama administration is to double the number of US troops in Afghanistan to 60,000 and when asked in a television interview if the US public should expect more American casualties, Biden said : "I hate to say it, but yes, I think there will be. There will be an uptick." Greater US involvement in Afghanistan is a political risk...