Jones Sees War Through 2050, Puts Pakistan on Notice

SPIEGEL ONLINE has published a very interesting interview of outgoing U.S. National Security Advisor James Jones. Excerpt:

If the Pakistanis are going to be a partner in the long term, they have to make a commitment that shows the watching world that they are serious about forms of terrorism.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Should your cooperation with the Pakistani army fail, is there a possibility that Pakistan would become the next military target of the US?

Jones: I am going to take the optimistic view that rational people do rational things and that -- with the help of friends and allies and common goals -- Pakistan will avoid, or hopefully avoid, that unfortunate eventuality. But hope is not a strategy, so we have to be cognizant of the fact that there are things which could happen that could alter the relationship if we are not careful.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Can you define exactly who is the enemy in the Hindu Kush region today?

Jones: Our enemies are the radicals who are targeting not only the US but also Europe, who advocate violence and who want to bring harm to our way of life and the world as we know it today. This is not a threat which is going to go away in the near future. This is a 21st-century-reality, a struggle at least for the first half of the century.

Full story at SPIEGEL ONLINE: 'Hope Is Not a Strategy': Outgoing Security Advisor Jones Voices Concern on Pakistan.