problem on the Iraq-Pakistan border

[drewkitty]

Quiz for the home audience:

1) Which candidate for President of the United States recently referred to "the situation on the Iraq/Pakistan border" in a public television appearance on "Good Morning America"?

2) What is the situation on this border to which the candidate refers?



3) Where in the world can this border be found?

4) Is there any relationship to issues on the Canada/Mexico border?

Small prize for wittiest answers.

Comments

OH OH OH i'll take a stab at this...

[lokiz-mom.livejournal.com]

1. bahraq ohbahma

2. volatile

3. ummmm on the other side of the world from us? i mean...i know where it is it's just not *here*

4. ummm canada doesn't border mexico? can you rephrase the question please?

Re: OH OH OH i'll take a stab at this...

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

1. No
2. Kind of sort of.
3. True but very incomplete
4. A broad hint.

Re: OH OH OH i'll take a stab at this...

[lokiz-mom.livejournal.com]

I suppose that's what I get for trying to answer while at work.

Re: OH OH OH i'll take a stab at this...

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

It's OK. Work is stressful.

[mortefina.livejournal.com]

4) Is there any relationship to issues on the Canada/Mexico border?


Yes, America is in the middle of it.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

You are on the right track.

[taral.livejournal.com]

1. I think he has Alzheimer's. Let's elect him President!
2. It's "serious". Or was that "precarious". Either way, we have to DO SOMETHING!
3. In his head. It's full of all sorts of other fallacies.
4. I can't beat mortefina's answer to this one.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

1) Too true. It worked with Reagan, but mostly due to Nancy.

2) Eep.

3) Yup.

4) Concur.

[finnkveldulfr.livejournal.com]

I suppose I'll take a stab at it--

1. Didn't catch "Good Morning America", so I'm not sure which one stuck his foot in his mouth this time, but, lemme guess-- John McCain?

2. Not sure what alleged situation the candidate was referring to-- but it's clearly BS, because Pakistan does NOT share a border with Iraq.

3. See answer to 2-- there IS NO Pakistan-Iraq border... although, there is a common border with Iran.

4. Yep-- it's just like the fictional Pakistan-Iraq border... Canada does NOT share a border with Mexico.

[finnkveldulfr.livejournal.com]

Regarding answer to 3-- "there is a common border with Iran" -- that is to say, Pakistan does share a border with Iran (but still, not one with Iraq).

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

A fairly quiet border. Iran is not fond of the Taliban and has strong strategic interest in a strong Pakistan unfriendly to America. Also there is a strong Iranian influence in western Afghanistan and this is the ancient land route for the trade to China. Long term, the Chinese are working hard on having a good land route to Iran through very rugged terrain in China and Afghanistan. The better with which to ship stuff that the US Navy need not take interest in.

[polymathwannabe.livejournal.com]

1. America's Creepy Grandpa
http://community.livejournal.com/political_macro/113215.html

2. the mess on the "Pakistan – Turkmenistan/Uzbekistan/Tajikistan" border (aka Afghanistan)

3. The "Iraq-Pakistan" border covers a very wide area, and is sometimes referred to as "Iran". If you have seen the movie "Hot Shots, part deux" you may also recognize this location as "A Hard Place".

4. Sadly, both the majority of average citizens living on the Canada-Mexico border, and the majority of average citizens living on the Iraq-Pakistan border have very little say over the actions taken to address these issues.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

1) Yuppers.

2) Kinda sort of what he meant.

3) Yup.

4) That has been true for most of human history. But at least we're more free to gossip about it. Even in Iran.

Answer # 2

[polymathwannabe.livejournal.com]

So you're assuming *he* even knew exactly what he meant? :P

Re: Answer # 2

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

I'm sure his handlers do.

Re: Answer # 2

[eggshellhammer.livejournal.com]

If he did it on purpose, which I doubt, referring to Iran as the Iraq-Pakistan border is actually kind of witty, which is why I doubt.

Re: Answer # 2

[polymathwannabe.livejournal.com]

Do you mean as justification for going after Iran?
Now I'm imagining some secret meeting before the interview where his people are saying,
"We already know Americans are ignorant of geography, but how stupid do you think they *really* are? I bet we could fool them into anything if we spin it properly..."
to which someone replies, "Oh Yeah? Let's make that bet..." :P

[andybeals.livejournal.com]

1) McCain

2) Taliban has apparently moved into Pakistan. The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan has always been porous due to the "Tribal area" (i.e. the PK gov't can't control it, negotiates with local warlords) and I would bet that the Coalition Forces (minus PK if they're considered part), the Afghanis, and the Pakistanis all have different opinions on exactly where the #$&# border is. Most recently, Coalition Forces were accused of making a strike within Pakistan.

3) Only in the mind of the Manchurian Candidate

4) Border porosity. Don't know if the US Border Patrol has been accused of wandering into Mexico or not.