Erstellt am: 4. 2. 2013 - 15:44 Uhr

The least bad solution

Reality Check: Pakistan and Afghanistan talk border security, the power struggle in Egypt, corruption in Spain, US war hero shot dead, Dreamliner safety

Afghanistan and Pakistan are uneasy neighbours to say the least, and that's on a good day. Relations between the two have been strained for decades, but in recent years things have really started to come to the boil once again.

EPA/AKHTER GULFAM

NATO troops are currently guarding the Afghan-Pakistani border, and there is concern on both sides about what will happen when they withdraw

So much has happened in between, it's easy to forget now that before 9/11 the Taliban ruled Afghanistan. What's even easier to forget is that in the 1980s the Taliban, Pakistan, the Mujahadeen and the United States were all on the same side, in their efforts to drive out the Soviets who occupied Afghanistan in 1979. However, once that was achieved, the US was quick to distance itself from its former allies, and eventually the Pakistan backed Taliban took control and imposed their strict and brutal form of Sharia law.

As in most such conflicts, the big losers were the Afghan people. Millions were displaced internally, millions fled to other countries and hundreds of thousands died directly or indirectly in the fighting.

Now, although Pakistan officially supports the "war on terror", it's the world's worst kept secret that the Pakistan Intelligence Service is still arming and supporting the Taliban, and there is a very real concern in Afghanistan that when the US and NATO forces withdraw, Pakistan will try to push the Taliban back into power.

The Afghans, not surprisingly, would probably like to get a shot at determining their own destiny. Pakistan, on the other hand, remembers the decades of horrific violence in the past, and would not be happy to see a return to the country being run by tribal warlords.

Of course, that is a highly simplified view of the situation. In fact, it is much more complex, with far more interested parties and considerable mistrust all round. However, NATO is committed to pulling out, so something has to be done about negotiating cross border security between the two, and to that end Britain's David Cameron has been hosting talks today with Afghan and Pakistani leaders.

Why the UK rather than the US, you might ask? Well, it's partly coincidence, and partly that both Afghanistan and Pakistan consider the UK to be slightly less untrustworthy than the US.

In this atmosphere of mutual mistrust and ill-will, it's hard to see how any deal can be reached. However, you'll be glad to know that they say they are aiming for "peace in six months" - but they always say something like that, don't they?

Shashank Joshi looks at the political issues on all sides, as well as the role of Afghanistan's other neighbour, Iran.

The role of the Egyptian military

Sammy Khamis looks at the delicate balance of power between Egypt's police, military and government.

Rajoy under pressure to resign

Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, is under pressure to stand down amid corruption allegations going back 11 years. Guy Hedgecoe reports from Madrid.

US war hero shot in Texas

Iraq war veteran and the country's most deadly sniper during his tours of duty in Iraq, has been shot dead at a shooting range where he was helping to rehabilitate soldiers with post traumatic stress disorder. Riem Higazi looks back at his remarkable career.

Dreamliner future

EPA

The Dreamliner has been grounded until safety problems can be solved.

All 50 Boeing Dreamliners were grounded last week amid safety concerns after batteries used in the aircraft caught fire.

Flight expert David Learmount examines the problem and what it means for the future of what was billed as the world's most advanced passenger plane.

FM4 Reality Check

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