So while this Administration continues its LIES to try and justify an upcoming attack on IRAN, the REAL threat to GLOBAL SECURITY - PAKISTAN, remains low on the American's public radar - a MISTAKE.
What happened today in Pakistan should trouble people who worry about Global Security.
Pakistani PM: State of emergency to last 'as long as necessary'
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan will be under a state of emergency for "as long as it is necessary," Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Sunday, a day after Pervez Musharraf suspended the constitution and widened his powers as president and military chief.
In a commentary written for CNN on Sunday, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto called Musharraf's plan "a step to entrench his dictatorship" and called for elections under an independent caretaker government.
But Aziz said it could be months before parliamentary elections -- scheduled for January -- will take place.
"The parliament could give itself more time, up to a year, in terms of holding the next elections," Aziz said. "However, at this point, no decision has been made."
The state of emergency had been imposed to "bring more harmony to the pillars of state" and to protect against extremism in the country, Aziz said.
Hundreds of people have been detained.
Earlier in the day, Musharraf's spokesman, Information Minister Tariq Azim Khan, said on Dubai-based GEO TV that parliamentary elections would be delayed indefinitely.
Aziz stressed that despite the emergency measure, Musharraf's government is "committed to pursuing our parliamentary form of government" and "making sure elections are held."
Before imposing the state of emergency, Musharraf had vowed to hold elections no later than January 15.
The move has put the United States in a precarious position and has raised fears about widespread chaos in Pakistan, a nuclear nation.
Rest of Article Here.
Bhutto's commentary on CNN.com-No Time for Dictatorship
Secretary of State Rice has indicated that there will be U.S. Review of Aid given to Pakistan, which has topped 10 Billion Dollars. I don't expect for this to be anything more than some saber rattling from the USA. While they don't have to like what Musharraf has done, the USA deals with a lot of not-so-nice folks. But, whatever his faults, Musharraf is OUR present devil that we know. If the USA could be assured that one of Musharraf's opponents, who also happen to fall into the Moderate Muslim Category that goes against Islamist Extremism, like Mrs. Bhutto, could get complete control over the country, they'd back that person in a heartbeat. But, good or bad, Mr. Musharraf's tenuous control is still control, and the alternatives could be worse for the USA. Keep an eye out for the happenings in Pakistan.
One of the reasons why we shouldn't even be talking about IRAN, is because, whatever we have left of our Armed Forces, needs to be able to do something in Pakistan, in case it falls.
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2 comments:
I have been meaning to jump on this story, but I have not had the time to put together a good post. I was going to try to do a part II of my last post on this a few weeks ago. But I fell asleep yesterday before I could tackle it.
This is definitely not good news. But I expected it to happen. The Pakistani Supreme Court was about to decide whether Musharraf's bogus election win from a few weeks ago was legitimate or not. (an election where he won 98% of the votes from Parliament). In order to maintain his dictatorship, he had to make some kind of decisive move... because his power has been slipping in recent months.
Arresting protesters and activists, censoring media, suspending the Constitution, disbanding the judiciary....claiming concern about "Activist judges"/ "Judicial activism" (sounds familiar from the language used here by the looney Neo Conservative Republicans)...all of this seems ominous for even more serious events to come.
It will be interesting to see the reaction of the Pakistani people, and from the Bush administration. Will Bush and Co. continue to support the dictator? And ironically, it is Bush's support that is harming Musharraf domestically. The radicals see Musharraf as selling out as a Muslim to U.S. interests. And the moderate Pakistanis see the U.S. as supporting a dictator. Although the Muslim radicals and the Moderate/secular Pakistanis, and the Pro-Democracy supporters all have a different vision for Pakistan, most of these foes have now been united behind a common cause, thanks to Bush & Co., and the dictator Pervez Musharraf.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I think that Musharraf is (in the longer term) on his way out. This is part of his last gasp. It may take a year or two..perhaps three... but he probably won't be around much longer.
Things will become so untenable there that he will have to eventually relinquish power. The big question is... who will take over? Musharraf is seen in the West as a more secular leader in the Muslim world...someone that they can deal with. If a more radical religious entity takes over, then we will be looking at a really ugly and complicated situation in that region.
Not only will the West have to worry about who is controlling the nukes, but we will also have to worry about India attacking Pakistan. India will not wait around for any radical Muslim leadership to do them harm. It will be the Summer of 2002 all over again.
But I am hoping that the Pakistani military will not allow the security of the nuclear weapons to be compromised.
Hopefully Bhutto and others can get in line to be the next President (but the radicals want her dead too). I am still disappointed that she sold her soul to the devil by working out a deal that facilitated Musharraf's attempt at staying in power for another 5 years.
The Bush administration (by energizing the Muslim extremists in Pakistan) has stirred up a hornets nest there...and throughout the Muslim World.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Have we forgotten that Pakistan is actually in a state of WAR, declared by our country? It has been trying to keep the AlQaeda at bay who were not handed over by the Afghans (remember?) and all this mess started from their so called hospitality custom. Pakistan has been trying to find them for US, while patiently waiting for US to come and finish the job in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, we rack up a trillion dollar debt, and are in a country did not declare war on us, does not have terrorists, or nukes, but is now been prepped for AQs. Pakistan saw with horror as Afghan AlQaeda became stronger with heroin trade which was almost eliminated in 2001; slowly converted the disgruntled Talibans, which Pakistan had refused to support due to our pressure, into AlQaedas.
Also, due to pressure from us to democratize, Musharraf was slowly weaning army off, (talk about multitasking), but not only did the AlQaeda and tribal areas; but the free (but unwise) media; educated morons from abroad; tore him apart as if he was the enemy. AlQaeda is hungry for nukes, and the Pakistan for democracy, no wonder they rushed in for the fill, destabilizing Pakistan Did we forget how he played a pivotal role in that region after 2001?
Musharraff has stayed the course; despite the fact that a country that has not even learnt basic civics, will transition smoothly under war conditions. It could have been easier if Musharraff and the military are not treated as monolithic monsters. These are individual patriotic professionals, who should not have the power hunger of past regimes be attributed to them. Look at Musharraff’s personality, and track record of wanting to work with even those who wanted to kill him. He is America's best General during this WAR.
Cancer of AlQaeda was spreading, and Musharraff had to act. Like America, Pakistan has to show a united front to AlQaeda. Pitting courts, politicians and army against each other is not going to help. These players will have to live with each other, and work legal peace time solutions, no matter what.
Even our country mangled the Constitution and played with civil rights, under our declared WAR, despite the best systems of control, detection and administration. We need to focus on what is important at the moment, stability, and cooperation of every one against AlQaeda. Democracy will happen, nukes will go, Iran will be brought to senses, and Afghanistan will be purged-----only if we learn to TIME our demands, DIRECT our actions and resources wisely.
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