Afghanistan, Pakistan Sign Trade Deal

She’s only been on the ground for a day, but Hillary Clinton has already scored a major victory in Pakistan, prodding the country into signing a landmark trade agreement with neighboring Afghanistan. Among other benefits of the deal, the two nations—whose often-frosty relations have been tested by war, political coups, and distrust—will now have greater access to each other’s territory, allowing each side to export goods without having to load them onto the native country’s truck at the border. The deal is an auspicious start to Clinton’s visit, the goal of which is to ease tensions among the neighboring countries and help to bolster their economies. Implementation of the accord is not yet assured, though: It must still be approved by Afghanistan’s parliament.