Dangerous Double Standard?

During the end of November and into December, Guests on Call will be looking at the potentially dangerous double standard of US foreign policy with regards to Iran and Pakistan.

The US response to the recent suspension of the Constitution and emergency rule/martial law in Pakistan is raising many questions about US intentions. Pakistan is what many consider a rogue state and is a nuclear power outside of the safety zone of signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

However, Pakistan is a strong US ally because the Bush Administration feels President Musharraf has been effectively fighting terrorism in Pakistan and at Pakistan's border with Afghanistan. But, there is information that members of the Pakistani government in the past have supported and sympathized with what the US would call "extremists". Also, under Musharraf Pakistan was one in only three countries to formally recognize the Taliban government.

Meanwhile, the US is pushing for further UN sanctions against Iran and hinting at a military strike if Iran does not hault enriching uranium. Iran IS a signatory to the NPT and claims to be developing a peaceful nuclear energy program, a right afforded signatories to the NPT.

How will this double standard affect US security? Is it safe to ally with Pakistan and bully Iran? How would a military strike against Iran affect Iraq?

See our Talking Points and Web Resources for further analysis of this dangerous foreign policy double standard.