America's relationship with Pakistan remains a key part of its involvement in Afghanistan and in South Asia. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was there last week, promising another $500 million in aid to sweeten a pot that has several toxic elements.

The main problem is the government of Pakistan is less than enthusiastic about putting the U.S.-led war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and now in Pakistan as well, tops on its national agenda. The Pakistanis would rather negotiate with the Taliban and other insurgents rather than wage war on them. That war, in addition to casualties incurred by Pakistan armed forces, also makes the government subject to the anger of Pakistanis over U.S. drone aircraft attacks carried out in Pakistan against the Taliban, with civilian casualties.

The aid offered by Mrs. Clinton, in agriculture, health care infrastructure and water provision, is meant to help the government persuade Pakistanis that what it is permitting the United States to do in their country is worth it. For the American taxpayer, the $500 million, part of more than $10 billion that has been sent to Pakistan during the Afghanistan war, has become part of the cost of that war.

The aid is also intended to make up for what the Pakistani government itself does not do for its people. The personal wealth of the average Pakistani member of parliament is estimated at $900,000. Fewer than 2 percent of Pakistanis pay income tax. Half of the country's economic transactions are said to take place "off the books" -- unrecorded and untaxed.

Pakistan sees its primary security concern to be its relationship with India. A recent effort to relaunch talks with India on Kashmir came to nothing. The latest issue between the two is over a dam that India plans to build that Pakistan fears will encroach on its treaty-ensured 80 percent of the water of the Indus River system.

Given Pakistan's situation, it is hard to see that U.S. aid or anything else will be able to distract it from this primary focus. So why spend the money?

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