Politics of assitance

Two pieces of news that caught my attention:

First, Friends of Pakistan have pledged (Japan and the US have promised US$ one billion each, Saudi Arabia-US$700 million, the EU -$640 million) financial assistance to Pakistan to help it deal with its financial crisis and tackle the worsening Islamic militancy problem.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123993772553428271.html

Mr Zardari recently agreed to let the SWAT valley confirm to Taliban diktats in a bid to ensure peace on Pakistan’s western front. Does Mrs Benazir Bhutto ever think if Talibans had decided to mete special treatment to Pakistan 20 years earlier, he and his wife may never have been at the helm of PPP politics?

I understand that an economically failed Pakistan is more lethal but Mr Obama what is the wisdom here? Seems we may have to wait for Hillary Clinton to pen down her memoirs for an insight into the faustian deals stuck under the table.

Second, Chinese delegates have blocked an Asian Development Bank proposal to lend US$ 60 million to India for development in Arunachal Pradesh.
http://www.visitchn.com/2009/04/china-blocks-adb-india-loan-plan.html

Ye intehaan ki ghadi hai, ek taraf desh prem doosri taraf namak ka karz. Mai chup rahungi!

PS: The financial crisis has given a golden opportunity to China to legitimise its stake to super power status (I am unsure if militarily China is a superpower)

It has also added to the hurdles, India will have to overcome before it can claim a similar clout on the world stage.