India, May 24 -- Abhishek Asthana

It was the early 1960s. The Cold War was hot. Espionage was a household term. The US wanted closer surveillance over the Soviets. They wanted to fly their spy planes, but thanks to the Atlantic Ocean, they needed an airbase somewhere close. They began surveying areas in west Pakistan and finally zeroed in on Peshawar. They immediately asked the then Pakistan president, Ayub Khan, for a 10-year lease to construct a base - conveniently named Little USA - which could house 800 US personnel. It would have a golf course and a movie theatre too. Khan readily agreed.

The rent-seeker of everything nasty in its backyard was happy to seek rent. Hence, foreign aid flew, military assurances were made, the Pakistan-...