Economic protectionism does more than threaten economic recovery these days, it also threatens national security. Economists agree that economic protectionism is a losing strategy for strengthening GDP. Barriers to free trade and commerce actually harm native economies by proliferating protectionism globally as nations respond by passing defensive barriers of their own. But the domestic economy is not the only thing threatened by some protectionism under consideration in the US Congress right now. The Kansas City Star reports, a new trade measure proposed by the White House would provide for "Reconstruction Opportunity Zones" in Pakistan, a lynchpin in the war on terror.

The administration strongly supports the zones, which if successful, could generate employment and help quell the terrorist threats to the U.S. and its forces fighting the Taliban-al-Qaida insurgency in neighboring Afghanistan. "If this (bill) was amended, it could really turn things around," said Afan Aziz, the chairman of the Northwest Frontier Province wing of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association. "It could, we estimate, provide employment for 700,000 to 800,000 people, and think of all the families that would support. Then, no one would want to turn to the gun." Richard Holbrooke, U.S. special envoy for the region, said the last month the aim of the bill is to rebuild the lives of refugees displaced by the Pakistan army's clashes with local Taliban insurgents and al-Qaida. "An opportunity for them to have this kind of chance through this bill is all the more important," Holbrooke said.

Of course, domestic interests groups are up in arms about the threat of having to compete on a level playing field, and are putting their own advantage above that of the security of the nation.

On the other side of the debate are U.S. textile manufacturers, who said that any easing of the restrictions approved by the House last month will threaten American workers in a sector that's already lost tens of thousands of jobs.

As we have learned from the past few years, economic desperation too often plays a role in the recruiting of low-level terrorists. The recent confession of Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, a gunman in last year's terrorist assault on Mumbai, shows that he was lured into the world of Islamic terrorism by the idea that he would make more money.

"I don't think I am innocent," he told the court Monday, and then proceeded to tell the story of how he went from being a poorly paid shop assistant in small-town Pakistan to the face of the carnage in Mumbai. At first, he said, all he wanted was to be a bandit. So he and a friend headed for Rawalpindi, a city near Pakistan's capital and the country's military headquarters. They searched for bearded men, figuring Islamist militants could train them to use weapons and fight, according to the court's record of Mr. Kasab's confession, which offered no indication of when the events took place.

Allowing Pakistan to grow its domestic economy and provide jobs and economic opportunity for Pakistanis is a vital effort to building on recent successes and defeating militants. Failing to pass the measure to provide "Reconstructino Opportunity Zones" in Pakistan is just too great.

Just when you thought Taliban couldn't get any more sick, new reports from Pakistan that terror chief Baitullah Mehsud has been buying and selling children for suicide bombing missions. Baitullah Mehsud is associated with al Qaeda and the Taliban and is considered the architect of the assassination of PM Benazir Bhutto, wife of current President Zardari. The current Pakistani government appears to be taking this threat seriously after years of neglect by previous administrations of Mufharraf and Nawaz Sharif, both of whom coddled and supported the Taliban and other homegrown terrorist organizations. Current President Asif Zardari said this week that his government views religious extremism as the single greatest threat to the country, and he will not stop until it is defeated.

"Military operations are all across the board against any insurgent whether in Karachi, Lahore or whether he is in any part of Pakistan," said Mr Zardari. "My problem is terror. I have focused myself on terror. The PPP has focused itself against the extremist mindset. Terror is a regional problem, it cuts across borders. "I would love to be remembered for creating a Pakistan where militancy – I know it can't totally be diminished – is defeated." A day earlier Mr Zardari gained important support when Pakistan's army chief, Gen Ashfaq Kiyani, said that the "immediate internal threat" of Taliban militancy was greater than any "external threat" – code for India. Diplomats took comfort that Mr Zardari appeared to speak for the most important power brokers in Pakistan.

President Zardari has reversed course in Pakistan in more ways than one, embracing the Karzai government and ending the practice, perfected by Nawaz Sharif, of holding the hands of religious extremists in Afghanistan.

Another apparent taboo that Mr Zardari has breached is to disregard the hankering within the Pakistani establishment for a religious-based government in Afghanistan that would be hostile to India and the West. In recent months, he has been one of the few Pakistani leaders to befriend Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai. "Karzai and myself are friends," he said. "Our military chiefs have met, our intelligence chiefs have met."

Zardari and the PPP appear to be a legitimate partner to the West in a region overrun with opportunists and thinly veiled Talibani. For years, democratic nations have been receiving lip service from the likes of Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif, only to see these same individuals cutting backroom deals with the sort of terrorist that buy and sell children to use as bombs. There remains a long and hard fight in Pakistan and Afghanistan - two nations that have suffered neglect by their leaders, if not outright cooperation with Taliban and al Qaeda militants. There does appear to be a dawn on the horizon, though, thanks to Zardari and Kiyani's actions over the past few months. Let's pray this progress continues.

A new poll shows that Pakistanis overwhelmingly see the Taliban and al Qaeda as a critical threat to the country. According to the report, "An overwhelming majority think that Taliban groups who seek to overthrow the Afghan government should not be allowed to have bases in Pakistan." This should come as no surprise, Pakistanis have had a close look at what life would be like under Taliban rule both in neighboring Afghanistan and, more recently, at home. It also makes more important a critical look at Nawaz Sharif as he continues to try to rebuild his political machine. Not only has Sharif been critical of attempts to capture or kill terrorist leader Baitullah Mehsud, he has a long history of working with religious extremists. A former ISI official even arranged for Nawaz to meet with Osama bin Laden, who gave Sharif cash to support his political aspirations. According to the ISI official, Sharif told bin Laden, "I love jihad."

“Nawaz Sharif insisted that I arrange a direct meeting with the Osama, which I did in Saudi Arabia. Nawaz met thrice with Osama in Saudi Arabia. The most historic was the meeting in the Green Palace Hotel in Medina between Nawaz Sharif, Osama and myself. Osama asked Nawaz to devote himself to “jihad in Kashmir”. Nawaz immediately said, ‘I love jihad.’ Osama smiled, and then stood up from his chair and went to a nearby pillar and said, ‘Yes, you may love jihad, but your love for jihad is this much.’ He then pointed to a small portion of the pillar. ‘Your love for children is this much,’ he said, pointing to a larger portion of the pillar. ‘And your love for your parents is this much,’ he continued, pointing towards the largest portion. ‘I agree that you love jihad, but this love is the smallest in proportion to your other affections in life.’”

More recently, Nawaz Sharif has been found in Afghanistan working with with the Taliban. Sharif has been called an "old hand" in Afghanistan who "had developed good working relations with almost all the Afghan Mujahideen leaders." Pakistanis recognize that religious extremists - the Taliban and al Qaeda in particular - represent an existential threat to the nation. Nawaz Sharif, apparently, feels otherwise.