NOT THE OBAMA STYLE - AT 7:42 P.M. ET:  It's 7:42 p.m.  Does President Obama know where his secretary of state is?

Apparently not.  In statements that mark a distinct contrast to the Obama style of love-thy-culture, Hillary Clinton directed some blunt charges at the Pakistani government, ostensibly an ally in the war on terror, er, man-made disasters:

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed doubt Thursday over Pakistan's failure to locate top al-Qaeda leaders in the eight years since they escaped over the border from Afghanistan, telling a group of Pakistani journalists that she found "it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to."

"So far as we know," Clinton said, "they're in Pakistan."

Clinton's comments, the most direct public statement of a U.S. argument long made in private, came as she tried to balance assurances of strong economic and military support for Pakistan with reminders that the relationship is a "two-way street."

"If we are going to have a mature partnership where we work together," Clinton said, "then there are issues that not just the United States, but others have with your government and your military establishment."

COMMENT:  Well, there goes the commencement address invitation from the University of Karachi.  They'll probably get Jon Stewart instead.

Hillary, despite all her shortcomings (volumes one and two) is probably the best man in the Obama cabinet, and her blunt talk in Pakistan probably proves it.  The Pakistanis must get their act together, and become full partners with us.  It's in their own interest, unless they want to wake up one morning and find the Taliban in charge of their country.  And that would certainly end the girls' night out.

October 29, 2009