At this moment, in some war torn country in Africa or the Middle-East, a child, brother, sister, mother or father is being forced to flee their home for safety. They run, as fast as they can, taking only what they can carry away from those who want to do them harm. They may never be able to return.

NEW DELHI, India — Suicide bombers attacked a five-star hotel in Peshawar, Pakistan on Tuesday, in the most direct attack of a Western target since the Islamabad Marriott bombing last September.
Bombers rammed a small truck laden with explosives through the gates of the upscale Pearl Continental Hotel at around 10 p.m., killing at least 16 [...]

An angry, armed mob attacked five villages and destroyed 20 houses suspected to belong to Taliban forces. Seven Taliban fighters were killed in the surge and the villagers now occupy three villages and are attempting to push the Taliban out of the other two.

More bombs exploded in Pakistan today, this time in the busy city of Peshawar. Two separate attacks were executed, one near a military checkpoint where a suicide bomber detonated himself and killed four soldiers and the other, in a busy market, where two motorcycles carrying time bombs exploded to kill six and injure 70, according to bomb disposal squad chief Shafqat Malik, BBC reports.

Pakistan officials are blaming the Taliban for a bomb attack in Lahore that killed 23 people and left hundreds injured, BBC reports.

Pakistan’s Swat Valley has become the site of yet another humanitarian crisis as nearly half a million inhabitants flee in efforts to escape the battle between the Taliban and government troops, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The Taliban is slowly trying to make its way toward Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital. The Pakistani armed forces have been verbally scolded by both American officials and Pakistani politicians over their lack of action and unwillingness to shift troops from the India-Pakistan border to help concentrate on combating the Taliban threat.

Danyal Mueenuddin’s literary debut is an arresting picture of contemporary Pakistant [...]

The time has come. Obama’s first speech to a joint session of Congress takes place tonight at 9 p.m., broadcast on all major television stations. Will he extend a hand towards Iran, following up on his promise to engage in open discourse with President Ahmadinejad? What will he say about health care reform? The economy?

• Obama’s first budget comes with the promise of slashing the deficit in half in four years

President Obama launched a “fiscal responsibility summit” at the White House today by vowing to cut the federal deficit in half by the end of his first term in office, and he pledged to reinstate pay-as-you-go budgeting rules to prevent the government from spending money it does not have.

• The government is looking to buy majority stakes in large banks as the markets continue to tumble.

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration put the nation’s biggest banks on notice Monday that the government could become their biggest shareholder if regulators decide they are not strong enough to weather a deeper-than-expected downturn in the economy.

• US is secretly training the Pakistani military to fight the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

BARA, Pakistan — More than 70 United States military advisers and technical specialists are secretly working in Pakistan to help its armed forces battle Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the country’s lawless tribal areas, American military officials said.

The Americans are mostly Army Special Forces soldiers who are training Pakistani Army and paramilitary troops, providing them with intelligence and advising on combat tactics, the officials said. They do not conduct combat operations, the officials added.

• Karl Rove defies a Congressional subpoena. Again.

So today was the day that Karl Rove was supposed to appear before the House Judiciary committee to testify about the US Attorney firings. And of course, Rove didn’t show.

That wasn’t a surprise. After getting the deadline pushed back, Rove had already publicly indicated he didn’t plan on being there, citing President Bush’s claim of executive privilege. Rove’s lawyer had then asked for a second postponement, a request that Judiciary chair John Conyers had declined to grant.

Pakistan has canceled all military leave and increased troop numbers in regions bordering Jammu and Punjab in northwest India, the Times of India reports.

Pakistani media is reporting that the country’s military is now on “high alert” over a possible attack by neighbour India, Al Jazeera reports.

Just days after arresting 15 people connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the terrorist organization thought to be responsible for the recent Mumbai terrorist attacks, Pakistan said Tuesday that it will not comply with India’s request for the extradition of all suspects, according to Canada.com.

As attacks on India’s financial and entertainment capital persist, military personnel are fighting to secure the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, according to the International Herald Tribune.

While India has frequently blamed terrorist attacks on Islamic militants and extremists in Pakistan, this attack comes at a time during which Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has been advocating closer relations with India; he even suggested a joint terrorism combat force.

The world is indeed watching today.
Despite the United States recent economic woes, there is no doubt amongst serious observers that the country is still, by far the most powerful nation in the world. The United States military budget – which, I think it is fair to say, gets quite a bit of use – is [...]