''Why it matters.'' Watch the facility as a barometer. Approval would signal [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] still values — and intends to keep using — the [[Islamabad]] channel. Refusal, or slow-walking, would tell Islamabad its leverage is depreciating, with consequences for how hard Pakistan works the next round. It also cuts the other way: a Pakistan visibly susceptible to [[American]] [[financial]] pressure is a Pakistan that [[Tehran]] in [[Larry Johnson]]’s phrase from today’s episode, handles “like a cobra” — useful, but gripped firmly.}} | ''Why it matters.'' Watch the facility as a barometer. Approval would signal [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] still values — and intends to keep using — the [[Islamabad]] channel. Refusal, or slow-walking, would tell Islamabad its leverage is depreciating, with consequences for how hard Pakistan works the next round. It also cuts the other way: a Pakistan visibly susceptible to [[American]] [[financial]] pressure is a Pakistan that [[Tehran]] in [[Larry Johnson]]’s phrase from today’s episode, handles “like a cobra” — useful, but gripped firmly.}} |