Pakistan holds the key to Afghanistan war

He is undoubtedly right, but the view from Islamabad is quite different from that in Washington or Kabul. Looking beyond the end of the 2014 deadline for the withdrawal of Nato forces, the Pakistani government, aware of Mr Karzai's weakness, is hedging its bets by granting sanctuary to his opponents, whether in the Baluchi capital, Quetta, or the tribal area of North Waziristan. Behind this manoeuvring lies fear of encirclement by India. Reconciliation between the two neighbours holds the key to peace but, although they reached a trade agreement last week, the problem of Kashmir looks as intractable as ever. Making do in what is probably the most dangerous region in the world remains the unenviable prospect facing Nato.