USGS

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/opinion/20wed1.html?scp=1&sq=twilight&st=nyt
This NYT editorial piece raises a few points relevant to today’s lecture. In light of Musharraf’s party’s loss in Pakistan’s parliamentary elections, the editorial suggests several things that the U.S. do to maintain a working relationship with Pakistan, which is considering taking a less militant attitude toward al Qaeda encampments near its borders. Beyond catering to individual leaders, who may fall in and out of power in Pakistan’s volatile political atmosphere, the board suggests that the United States extend aid to all facets of Pakistanian society, rebuilding its schools, courts, etc..
If it were promoting a grand strategy, the article could be said to be combining elements of Neoconservatism and Liberal Internationalism alike. As to neoconservatism, the article stresses bilateral interaction between nations, clearly bypassing institutions. That it focuses on terrorism as a threat to U.S. security and stresses that this threat to America is a threat to everyone evidences that its authors accept the argument of unipolar stability. As to liberal internationalism, it contends that non-state actors, such as terrorist groups, ought to play a large role in U.S. international relations. It even treats security with respect to al Qaeda like a ‘global commons’ problems, calling for a collaborative effort among states in order to secure the world. The article also suggests employing the means by which liberal internationalism operates: multilateralism (coordination between Pakistan and the United States to combat terrorism) and a combination of soft and hard power (a ‘soft’ alliance with Pakistan comprised of an aid package in return for a ‘hard’ maintained military response to al Qaeda.)
As for realism, in treating terrorism on Pakistan’s periphery like a major threat to the United States, the article rejects the notion that terrorism is a secondary threat, and it rejects the idea of ‘offshore balancing,’ clearly promoting heavy involvement with Pakistan’s newly elected governemnt.