Despite U.S. opposition, a pipeline from Iran to Pakistan is inevitable. Pakistan needs natural gas to fuel its power plants and has no good options. The Obama administration is threatening to put in place stiff economic sanctions, but Pakistan says they’d be no worse than energy shortages that cause power outages. The Islamabad government does have some leverage to use in talks with Washington: It’s giving the U.S. access to roads and ports to remove military gear from Afghanistan, so Pakistan will seek the same kind of waiver that allows Turkey to work with Iran.

Torn From the Kiplinger Letters