Just rereading Vaclav Havel's seminal work, "The Power of the Powerless." Still amazing.

I'm so glad the US has figured out the deep importance of providing flood relief in Pakistan, though it means taking some resources away from the military effort next door. What with the Pakistan government seemingly AWOL while the general population suffers mightily in the wake of the worst flooding in decades and the initial mobilization of groups with links to local paramilitary groups, this is an almost tailor-made opportunity for the US to both burnish its credibility with the Pashtun street and develop a bit more leverage over the Pakistani government.

US aid winning friends in flood-ravaged Pakistan-- AP.