There appears to be a perverse and dangerous interplay between the politics of Pakistan and the turmoil inside Afghanistan. With the emergence of the Taliban, there is growing reason to fear that militant extremism, obscurantism and sectarianism will infect surrounding countries. In addition to dealing with the immediate issue of the weapons, we also need to understand the circumstances and trends that could precipitate their use. If the average citizen sees the possibility for a better future, then the state is, by definition, stronger and safer. As Chris and other architects of our support for democracy have emphasized for many years, there is a direct linkage between economic and political freedom.
Market economies tend to flourish in democratic settings.
Here again, South Asia is a case in point. With the obvious and glaring exception of Afghanistan, the region is beginning to realize its potential as a market for foreign business and investment, and it's making important strides toward integrating into a regional trading bloc. If it were lifted by a rising tide of regional growth, Bangladesh might gain enough economic self-confidence to export some of its enormous gas reserves. That, in turn, would give a push to regional cooperation. It would fuel India's development as well, given that nation's enormous need for energy.