My first question as a PostGlobal panelist -- and it is quite a double-edge sword!

One line from Francis Bellamy's Pledge of Allegiance comes to mind. The last line reads: "Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Written in 1892, Bellamy considered adding the word "equality" to this last line; however, he knew that the superintendents of schools across the country opposed the thought of equality for women and African Americans. So just like that, equality vanished from the Pledge.

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The question facing the South Korean government, like many governments before it, is simple: does negotiating with terrorists excuse – or even encourage – violence?

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There are numerous countries with strong militaries that are a far cry from democracies. One factor to consider is the order in which the two develop: in other words, if democracy comes first and military strength develops later, perhaps the two can develop and coexist more harmoniously than if the opposite were true.

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If I were a school teacher, and little George Bush made a comment in class about World War III with Iran – particularly given the current political climate – I would tell him to put his head down on his desk and take a time out.

IS HE SERIOUS? Pakistan, our so-called partner in the "War on Terrorism" is a breeding ground for radicalism and President Bush is making outrageous references to an Iranian instigated World War III?

This is just another catch phrase we can add to the pot of simmering war slogans and provocative accusations, along with "War on Terror" and "Axis of Evil." It carves in stone the do's and don'ts of diplomacy and leaves no leeway for reconciliation.

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When Benazir Bhutto spoke to the Council of Foreign Relations last August before returning from exile to Pakistan, she said, "The West's close association with a military dictatorship, in my humble view, is alienating Pakistan's people and is playing into the hands of those hardliners who blame the West for the ills of the region."

Those hard-liners, to whom she referred while safely in New York, are likely the same people who took her life in Pakistan on Thursday evening. The news of Bhutto's assassination is a grim reminder that religious extremists are attempting to reverse the moderating influences of globalization.

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Several weeks ago, I made the acquaintance of a high-ranking Indian military official who was passing through Abu Dhabi. Our meeting coincided with reports of U.S. air strikes on targets in Pakistan near to the Afghan border. During our candid discussion, the attaché pounded his fist over the desk, insisting that any attack on Pakistan inevitably hurts India. "Target Pakistan and you send shockwaves into India," he said.

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Ask 10 Pakistanis what the cause of their country's security breakdown is, and you are likely to hear at least 10 answers. One of the most widespread beliefs is that Pakistan's problems, much like those of neighboring Afghanistan, were caused by foreign entities - or, more specifically, foreign meddling in domestic affairs.

Regardless of how bad the situation may appear, many I've spoken with here in Pakistan are skeptical that any foreign players know how to solve Pakistan's domestic problems. But after what I've seen here, I disagree.

Pakistan is in dire need of the proper financing to get it back on its feet and help it address the economic and social problems that might be causing its downfall. However, if the United States has a genuine desire to see a stable Pakistan, then President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton must distance themselves from the shortsighted policies of the Bush administration, whether that be military assistance or occasional drone attacks. Recovery can only come in the form of hefty economic development and an overhaul of Pakistan's outdated infrastructure. We saw one positive step in this direction this week: the trade and transit agreement signed by Pakistan and Afghan leaders in Washington on Wednesday aimed at increasing commerce and foreign investment.

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