Would an ally, or friend, or even a neutral nation allow something like this to happen?

Gunmen blasted their way into two transport terminals in Pakistan on Sunday and torched more than 160 vehicles destined for U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan, in the biggest assault yet on a vital military supply line, officials said.

The U.S. military said its losses in the raid near the northwestern city of PeshawarTaliban operations, set to expand with the arrival of thousands more American troops next year. would have "minimal" impact on anti-

However, the attack will fuel concern that insurgents are trying to choke the route through the famed Khyber Pass, which carries up to 70 percent of the supplies for Western forces in landlocked Afghanistan, and drive up the cost of the war.

The owner of one of the terminals hit Sunday denied government claims that security was boosted after a raid last month near the pass in which militants made off with one Humvee and later paraded it before journalists.

"We don't feel safe here at all," Kifayatullah Khan told The Associated Press next to the still-smouldering vehicles, predicting that most of his night watchmen would now quit their jobs out of fear. "It is almost impossible for us to continue with this business."

Losses may exceed $10 million while the Pentagon denies the loss of vehicles will affect our operations in Afghanistan.

Pakistan will not allow US troops in their country to protect our property and refuse to supply enough security to prevent a couple of guys with guns from entering a vital military base and torching 160 supply vehicles. 

This personifies Pakistan's love-hate relationship with the US and points up the need to alter our relationship with the government while withholding any aid until they make a firm commitment to assisting us. These half measures aren't helping anywhere; not in Pakistan, not along the border with Afghanistan and certainly not with the United States.

Meanwhile, the government tries to muddle through in Pakistan, trying not to be too confrontational while also attempting at the same time to keep the US at arms length. It is not working. Eventually, they will have to decide - or NATO will end up deciding for them.