Juan Cole, who writes for Salon, a news letter, has graded President Obama on his foreign policy in the Middle East. Lets see here.

Iraq. Grade B
Cole says that, "Occasional big explosions obscure the reality of reduced guerrilla attacks." I remember when occasional big explosions were proof positive of failing policy. So do you.

Iran. Grade A
A UN International Atomic Energy Agency team has been allowed to look around Fordo, a non operational Iranian nuclear facility. This is a step forward. The world community, as it's called, has got a foot in the door... of a show house. Show us both hands at once there, Iran.

Pakistan. Grade B
"...the Obama administration convinced the Pakistani government to launch a major military operation against the Taliban in the Swat Valley. Despite temporarily displacing 2 million residents, the operation enjoyed substantial success and gained wide popular support from a Pakistani population -- including most Pashtuns -- increasingly appalled at the brutality of Taliban rule."

Wow. I'm getting dizzy from the spin. Last year, temporarily displacing 2 million residents would have been called creating a massive irreversible refugee situation by destroying ancestral homes. The word "success" would not have appeared anywhere in such a report.

Going after the Taliban in Pakistan and getting the Pakistanis to support the action is certainly a positive approach. When killing roaches, you don't stop at just the ones you see in the bathroom.

Still though, this Cole fellow is too much of a cheerleader to be objective.

I have a friend at work who is from Canada but sounds like an American,his family is from Pakistan,he was saddened by the continuing violence in Pakistan.

I asked my friend if he remembered after 9/11,when America said to Pakistan "your either with us or against us",I wanted to know if Pakistan's condition would be any worse than it is today,if Pakistan had said,no we are not with you,what do you think Aint?

I think a British Canadian with some family from Pakistan is a British Canadian with some family from Pakistan.

As for Pakistan's condition if they said no, it'd be worse now and more worse later. The Taliban is a friend of the Taliban, no one else. How much of a friend is Pakistan to anyone is the question.

There is great debate over whether or not Pakistan is an ally of the US. On paper, it appears they are. In reality they do shelter Taliban and other enemies of the US, do little to suppress their radical population, and see that much of the money we send them goes into some private pockets.

At least, so it appears. What private deals we have with Pakistani leaders, or what consequences it would have for America if Pakistan were our enemy, I'm unable to even guess at.