THE map of new Middle East, according to neo-con assessments, has crossed over into the mainstream American media. The map, which originally accompanied 'Blood Borders: How A Better Middle East Would Look', an article in the 'Armed Forces Journal' by Michael Peters, was first published long before, but it was used to illustrate a New York Times piece. At the same time, the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan agreed that a policy on US drone attacks in the tribal areas would be made in the light of recommendations from a parliamentary committee. The map was used as an illustration of how Pakistanis fear what Americans are up to, especially since they are attacking Pakistani soil with what amounts to impunity, with a leadership that only threatens to turn the matter over to a parliamentary committee, and constant denials that Islamabad has permitted the bombings of Pakistani territory. No government should be forced to deny that it is involved in the killing of its citizens by foreign forces, and Islamabad must reconsider the policies which have landed it in this situation. The neo-con map which shows Pakistan as reduced to a mere strip consisting of Punjab and Sindh, has raised Pakistani hackles because many still remember that the separation of East Pakistan was preceded by the publication in the mainstream US media, of a map of the new country. But apart from that, Pakistanis are more worried by parallel US moves, which are designed to bolster its friendship with India. The USA has directly engaged in a nuclear deal with India while refusing Pakistan equal treatment, and it has encouraged India to play a role in Afghanistan at the cost of Pakistan. Therefore, the map is not simply to be seen as American intentions towards Pakistan, but also as Indian intentions. Islamabad should note that the USA has, for its own strategic reasons, seen fit to encourage India in its hegemonic designs because it thus hopes to contain China, and is thus not averse to a future break-up of Pakistan, which India deeply desires, in the hope that this will allow it to continue the repression of the Kashmiri people and the illegal occupation of the Held Valley that it has maintained. Instead of merely planning to frame policies, the government should make it clear that no evil designs by anyone will be tolerated, particularly attacks on the country's soil and citizens. It should realise that the US does not owe it any favours, or at least none that it admits, and does not wish it well. So it should revise its policy towards the USA, and its role in its War on Terror, accordingly.