Pakistani civilian and military leaders are arriving in Washington this week for a U.S.-Pakistan strategic dialogue, and Secretary Clinton will be formally introducing them to the new U.S. ambassador to their country, Cameron Munter, seen above in Brussels last week, whom she swore in on Oct. 6.

"No country has gotten more attention from Secretary Clinton than Pakistan," Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told the New York Times recently. Indeed, when Clinton visited Pakistan in July, she announced a giant slew of development projects for the country -- hydroelectric dams, refurbishment of municipal water-supply systems, hospital renovations, agricultural projects, etc. -- that are being funded through the Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation passed in the United States last year that provides $7.5 billion over five years to fix Pakistan's infrastructure and promote its economic develpment. And, she appealed to Americans to text help to Pakistanis during this year's historic floods and last year's refugee crisis in the Swat Valley.

The new ambassador has a huge job ahead of him. Winning hearts and minds isn't easy, as research by an FP contributor recently concluded: "it's easiest for Westerners to win hearts and minds only when that's not what they're explicitly setting out to do."

Secretary Clinton said yesterday that one of her pet peeves is poor countries that don't tax their elite and then expect the United States to come in and save their people.

Clinton made the remark in a round-table discussion on the U.S. administration's new global development policy. Her complete remark was:

It's one of my pet peeves: Countries that will not tax their elite, who expect us to come in and help them serve their people, are just not going to get the kind of help from us that historically they may have.

Moderator Frank Sesno of George Washington University followed up by asking, "You're going to go to countries that are getting [aid] now and say we're going to stop?" Clinton responded by singling out Pakistan:

There's got to be some reciprocity here. Because one of the things that is now happening in Pakistan, and I said this when I was there last year, you cannot have a tax rate of 9 percent of GDP when big landholders and all the other elites do not pay anything or pay so little it's laughable, and you've got such a rate of poverty and everybody is looking to the United States and other donors to come in and help.

Sesno pushed further, asking whether Clinton was truly prepared to tell governments of countries filled with poor people that the U.S. government would withdraw or scale back aid if they didn't tax their elite, who are often the base of political support for those countries' leaders. Clinton said that was one of the messages that the United States was starting to deliver and mentioned that Pakistan's finance minister has already introduced a set of tax and economic reforms.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, another of the participants in the round-table discussion, backed Clinton up, saying:

I've been doing this for a long time. I have never heard a discussion like this where you have a secretary of state saying what Secretary Clinton just said, which is recognizing that unless we are tougher on how we provide assistance, unless we look at those basic simple things, like are they running their country in a way that gives us confidence that our resources will be used well, we should not be financing them at this level. That is an enormously consequential thing.

Something tells me that if Barack Obama's administration is having such a difficult time increasing taxes on the richest Americans, then it's going to have an even harder time getting another country's government to do the same. And in the case of Pakistan, is that country really going to do the United States' bidding? In the interest of national security, the United States will continue pouring billions of dollars into Pakistan; with so many Islamist extremist groups on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the United States isn't going to scale back development efforts just because the Pakistani government won't reform its tax code and crack down on tax evasion.

(For more on this topic, check out my colleague Josh Rogin's report, "Clinton presses Pakistan to raise taxes on wealthy" over at FP's The Cable.)

Secretary Clinton this morning encouraged Americans to text "SWAT" to 50555 to help with relief efforts in Pakistan and assist those devastated by the historic floods that have so far killed at least 1,500 people and adversely affected 3 million. You'll be making a $10 donation to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees that will go toward providing tents, food, clothing, and clean water. (Reply with "yes" to confirm the gift.)

When news of the flood first broke, Clinton said the United States immediately donated an initial $10 million, and she offered her "thoughts and prayers." Today she said:

"U.S. helicopters have already airlifted hundreds of people out of danger and delivered critical supplies, including hundreds of thousands of halal meals.… We've sent boats to help with the search and rescue and water-purification units to provide clean water for thousands of people, as well as temporary bridges to replace the bridges damaged by the floods. All of this has been done in close coordination with the government of Pakistan and their disaster-management specialists.

There may be a lot of Americans out there rolling their eyes about their tax dollars going to a faraway country filled with millions of people harboring anti-American sentiment, but this is a U.S. national security issue, not just a humanitarian one. If the Pakistani government can't provide satisfactory disaster relief, militant Islamic charity groups will step in. Consider these three paragraphs from Aug. 2's Washington Post:

In past emergencies in Pakistan -- including an earthquake in 2005 and the refugee crisis caused by last year's army offensives -- Islamic charities with close ties to banned militant organizations provided basic services, filling a void left by the government and scoring points in the battle here for the public's affection.

Although that does not yet appear to be happening on a wide scale, analysts caution that the government should soon improve its performance.

"The government, unfortunately, seems to be mostly helpless," said Talat Masood, a retired Pakistani army general. "I'm very concerned that the militant organizations will be jumping in."

In Islamabad today, Secretary Clinton announced a whole slew of development projects for Pakistan: hydroelectric dams, refurbishment of municipal water-supply systems, hospital renovations, agricultural projects, etc. In the photo above, she points to a map marking the location of many projects, while Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi looks on.

The projects are being funded through the Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation passed in the United States last year that provides $7.5 billion over five years to fix Pakistan's infrastructure and promote its economic develpment. The U.S. government is trying to dispel the distrust that many Pakistanis have toward the United States, and Clinton was trying to make it clear that the development aid is for helping Pakistan itself and is not just for advancing U.S. security interests. At the news conference with Qureshi, as seen in the photo above, Clinton said:

"There's a legacy of suspicion that we inherited.… It's not going to be eliminated overnight. But it's our goal to slowly but surely demonstrate that the U.S. is concerned about Pakistan for the long term, and that the partnership goes far beyond security against our common enemies."

She also said:

"We are committed to building a partnership with Pakistan that of course strengthens security and protects the people of Pakistan, but goes far beyond security."

It seems pretty naive to think this aid package isn't primarily about security. Regardless of intent, however, will it win Pakistani hearts and minds? Methinks not. As of last October, when President Obama signed the Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation, only 15 percent of Pakistanis surveyed supported it. Many think the aid money comes with too many strings attached and compromises Pakistan's sovereignty.

I wish Clinton good luck, though. With her star power, you never know.

Speaking at the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, Secretary Clinton sought to reassure Indians that the United States doesn't see India merely in the context of Pakistan or Afghanistan. She said at the plenary session:

"[W]e must not only build on areas of agreement but, frankly, address doubts that remain on both sides, doubts among some Indians that the United States only sees India or mainly sees India in the context of Afghanistan and Pakistan, or that we will hasten our departure from Afghanistan, leaving India to deal with the aftermath."*

But how true is it that the United States doesn't see India primarily through the context of Pakistan and Afghanistan? It seems like the United States wants India and Pakistan to resolve their dispute ASAP so that Pakistan can concentrate more on its western border with Afghanistan.

*This quote was updated from a previous version from NDTV that had transcription errors.

Three other bits of Clinton-related news:

•China's Xinhua news agency reports that Clinton and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had a phone conversation today (perhaps Chinese time today?) in which they agreed to "spare no efforts in building a positive, cooperative and comprehensive Sino-U.S. relationship."

•After the attack against the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, yesterday, Clinton said in her remarks, "The Pakistani people have suffered grievous losses, but they are standing firm in the face of this intimidation -- and the United States stands with them."

•After the noon news briefing on the new U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, Clinton will have Nigeria on her mind, launching the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission at 3 p.m. today, after a bilateral with the Nigerian secretary to the federal government.

At 8 a.m. today, having returned to Washington from Mexico, Secretary Clinton hosted the opening session of the U.S.-Pakistan strategic dialogue, a two-day event during which nuclear energy, economic assistance for Pakistan, and security issues will be discussed. (Above, Clinton shakes hands with Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi.)

The Pakistani delegation will probably ask for a civilian nuclear deal similar to the one the United States signed with India, Pakistan's archenemy, but a lot of people on Capitol Hill and in New Delhi aren't going to be thrilled about that idea. (For more on whether Pakistan should get a nuclear deal, check out the FP piece, "Should Pakistan Get a Nuke Deal?")

A few excerpts of Clinton's remarks, as reported by the Associated Press:

Clinton acknowledged that "misperceptions and mistrust" have grown between the two countries, and said that overcoming the mutual suspicion requires sustained work across several areas of government.

"This is a new day," she said.

and:

"You are fighting a war whose outcome is critical first and foremost, of course, for the people of Pakistan," Clinton told the foreign minister. "But it will also have regional and global repercussions, and so strengthening and advancing your security remains a key priority of our relationship."

A few links to recent Clinton commentary on Foreign Policy:

•"Digging out of a hole" is how Shadow Government's David J. Kramer described Secretary Clinton's human rights speech Monday.

•In support of multilateral sanctions against Iran, Clinton said on Monday, "Sanctions can work," The Cable reports.

•An interview with Clinton on Pakistan policy is posted over at the AfPak Channel. The interview was conducted by Hassan Abbas of the Asia Society and Harvard Kennedy School.

•Clinton's "unappreciated warnings to Latin America" are discussed on Passport.

Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

In an interview with Al Jazeera today, reports the Politico's Laura Rozen, Secretary Clinton said she was the first American associated with any U.S. administration to call for the creation of a Palestinian state. She said,  "I was the first American associated with any admin to call for the establishment of a Palestinian state when I first did it 10 years ago. A lot of people thought that was very radical, now there is consensus we must get to a Palestinian state."

Clinton, seen above today in Marrakech, Morocco, at the Forum for the Future conference, is clearly trying to get back on track after her controversial remarks this weekend about West Bank settlements. The New America Foundation's Daniel Levy dissects the controversy in today's FP piece, "Unsettling Questions."

A few other tidbits of Clinton news:

•After attending the conference in Morocco, Clinton flew to Cairo today, and on the plane she served Lenôtre chocolate to the press. See the photo here.

•Japan apparently scheduled and then canceled a Friday meeting between Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Clinton. The reason: infighting within the Democratic Party of Japan.

•Over at the AfPak Channel, a contributor states that Clinton was insensitive when, two days after a terrible terrorist attack in Pakistan, she told a group of Pakistanis, "Al Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002. I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to." As the New York Times put it, "The remarks upset her hosts, who have seen hundreds of soldiers and civilians killed as Pakistan has taken on a widening campaign against militant groups that have threatened the country from its tribal areas." Well, it certainly isn't the first time Clinton has been hard on Pakistan.

Photo: ABDELHAK SENNA/AFP/Getty Images

Secretary Clinton arrived in Pakistan today. Here's a photo summary of her day so far. (Also, posting will be light this week; I've been given some large projects that I have to prioritize.)

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton receives flowers from Pakistani girls upon her arrival at the Chaklala military air base in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Oct. 28. Clinton kicked off talks in Pakistan on a day when a car bomb ripped through a crowded market in the northwest city of Peshawar, killing at least 90 people. Clinton, promising new investments while fending off bitter criticism of Washington's policies, arrived within hours of the blast.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani speaks with Clinton during a meeting in Islamabad. The United States will stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan in its fight against "brutal extremist groups," Clinton said after the day's massive bomb blast.

Clinton stands next to the Pakistani flag at the prime minister's house in Islamabad.

Pakistani demonstrators with Hizbul Tahreer shout anti-U.S. slogans during a protest in Lahore. The car bomb in Peshawar underscored the gravity of the extremist threat destabilizing nuclear-armed Pakistan. The explosion, which brought down buildings in Peshawar, coincided with Clinton's arrival in Pakistan to bolster the troubled U.S.-Pakistan alliance against the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Photos, top to bottom: STR/AFP/Getty Images, AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images, AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images, Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images

Secretary Clinton, seen above with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on Sept. 16, will be giving a speech Friday morning at the Brookings Institution. I've RSVPed to attend, so I'll report back what I can. The speech is supposed to outline the United States' goals for next week's U.N. General Assembly session. In today's press briefing, Clinton's spokesman said she would discuss nonproliferation, Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, food security, and violence against women and girls.

Other Clinton news:

•Clinton says the United States will discuss nukes during talks with Iran on Oct. 1. Iran is saying that won't happen.

•Matt Latimer, a former speechwriter for George W. Bush, says that Bush thought Clinton would end up as the Democratic presidential nominee. In GQ magazine, Latimer claims that Bush said the following about Clinton:

"Wait till her fat keister is sitting at this desk," he once said (except he didn't say "keister").

•Clinton is concerned about Venezuela's arms purchases.

•Is Clinton scheduling a visit to Pakistan for this fall?

•Clinton will lead a U.S. delegation at a conference on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the first time the United States has attended the biennial conference since 1999.

Photo: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Secretary Clinton, the e-diplomat, is asking Americans to pick up their cellphones and text "swat" to 20222 to make a $5 donation that will provide medicine, tents, food, and clothing to the astounding 1.17 million internal refugees who have fled the current fighting in Pakistan (mainly in the Swat Valley). The aid will be provided through the United Nations' refugee agency.

Clinton made the appeal for donations while announcing that the United States will be providing $110 million in emergency aid to the refugees. Including the 555,000 Pakistanis who were displaced during fighting last August, Pakistan now has nearly 2 million internally displaced people.

You can see photos of what Pakistanis in the Swat Valley are going through in my March photo essay: "Pakistan's New Homeless."

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Chicago Tribune reports today that Secretary Clinton's outspoken style is "raising eyebrows," a subject I touched upon in my post "Was Clinton too verbally hard on Pakistan?"

Some comments of hers that have stirred debate:

• In April 22, she said the Pakistani government was "abdicating" to the Taliban. (At the time, the Taliban was 60 miles from Islamabad, the Pakistani capital.) Her comments on Pakistan "really went over the top," Brian Katulis of the Center for American Progress told the Tribune.
• On April 30, she said North Korea's return to talks seems "implausible if not impossible."
• On May 1, she said that China, like Iran, has made "quite disturbing" gains in Latin America.

Basically, Clinton has been boldly telling it like it is when normally in the diplomacy world unpleasant facts aren't addressed with such candor. "She's saying the emperor has no clothes," L. Gordon Flake of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation told the Tribune. "She's saying the things that nobody else would say, but that 99 percent of the people in Washington agree with."

Clinton might be stating her views "undiplomatically," but perhaps such tough talk gets results. Regarding her comments on the Pakistani government, an unnamed State Department official told the Tribune "They weren't doing anything before she said that. Then after she said it, they suddenly were taking it pretty seriously, and met with greater success. … I think she got their attention."

So far, President Obama hasn't told Clinton to tone it down, but Condoleezza Rice's former speechwriter thinks the current secretary of state should hold her tongue.

Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Just two weeks ago, Secretary Clinton expressed concern that the Pakistani government was "basically abdicating to the Taliban and the extremists" when it signed a deal to let pro-Taliban militants impose their extremist version of sharia in Swat Valley. Since then, however, Clinton's views about the Pakistani government seem to have moderated.

At the White House briefing after yesterday's trilateral with the Afghan and Pakistani presidents, Clinton was asked whether she thought the Pakistani government was "at risk of abdicating to the Taliban." Her response:

Well, I'm actually quite impressed by the actions that the Pakistani government is now taking. I think that action was called for and action has been forthcoming.

This is a long, difficult struggle. And the leadership of Pakistan, both civilian and military, really had to work on significant paradigm shifts in order to be able to see this threat as those of us on the outside perceived it. And I think that has occurred, and I think that there is a resolve going forward.

Clinton also confirmed the U.S. government's support for Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, saying:

At the formal bilateral that I held with President Zardari at the State Department, I reaffirmed our government's strong support for him as the democratically elected president. Being able to say "democratically elected president of Pakistan" is not a common phrase, and I think it's imperative that we support President Zardari.

Additionally, Clinton stressed the need for patience and delayed gratification:

An ancient Afghan proverb says, "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." I think that patience is not always in great supply inside our own government, or even inside our own country. But I think in this instance, the kind of patient strategy that the president has adopted and the steps that we are all taking to implement this strategy is the only way forward. It may not give you a story every day, but hopefully it will give us all a better story next year and the years to come.

Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images