(via Instapundit)  Looks like Swamp Draining is having some nice, indirect effects -

The US-led war in Iraq prodded nuclear rivals India and Pakistan to launch a process to resolve their disputes over Kashmir, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said in an interview published Tuesday

..."The war in Iraq was a warning to all developing countries (that) we needed to resolve our disputes peacefully and speedily amongst ourselves," the 79-year-old Vajpayee told the English-language daily.

"The number of people in Pakistan who think likewise is steadily growing," Vajpayee said, without naming individuals who back the ongoing peace process between the two South Asian countries.

What I like about this -

1) If non-Axis-of-Evil countries like India / Pakistan feel the heat, imagine all the unseen pressure being exerted on other countries right now.   Libya is the obvious one but I mentioned some of the back room antics going on in Iran as well.

2) Vajpayee is able to admit that the pressure is working.   Other countries like Syria, Jordan, etc. will do everything in their power to make it appear like US pressure is NOT the driving factor in thieir sudden acquiesence.

Glenn considers this an unforseen outcome - I'm not sure if I'd put it that way.   I don't think the Bushies had India/Pakistan expressly targetted but a new, low tolerance policy was bound to yield interesting results....  Bush's team has firmly articulated to the developing & 3rd world that "problems between your countries have a nasty way of turning into problems in mine - and we aren't going to take it anymore."    India and Pakistan moved earlier / faster than others because they've most thoroughly imbibed the idea that liberalism and participation in global capitalism are Good Things.