by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright November 12, 2007
All Rights Reserved.

retending to chastise Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, the White House gave him the green light to take extreme measures to hold on to power. President George W. Bush knows that no matter how antidemocratic, Musharraf's Nov. 3 emergency order, suspending the constitution and firing the Supreme Court, is preferred over letting Islamic radicals take over Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. “My reaction is that the positive element here is that elections are going to be held and held very soon,” said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, responding to Musharraf's promise, under duress, to hold a parliamentary vote in Jan. '08. Musharraf promised to hold inconsequential elections only after his new kangaroo Supreme Court certifies him another 5 year term. Rice feigns concern for Pakistan's democracy but really wants Musharraf to stay in power as a benevolent dictator.

      Popular democracy in Pakistan would elect a radical Islamic regime comparable to what happened in 2005 in Tehran. Free-and-fair elections gave Iran radical Shiite President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Democratic forces also radicalized the Palestinians voting in Hamas, dividing the country between the West Bank and Gaza and handing power to a legal authority regarded by the State Department as a terror group. “And also that the president [Musharraf] said he was going to take off his uniform. Those have both been essential to getting Pakistan back on a democratic path,” Rice told Voice of America's Paula Wolfson. Rice wants democracy in name only, hoping to assure Musharraf's long-term control of Pakistan. There's no democracy when Musharraf fires the Supreme Court, installs his own jurists and guarantees himself a new five-year presidential term.

      White House public statements are at odds with Musharraf ‘s move to suspend democracy and control of insurgents. “This is not a perfect situation,” Rice said, revealing her true feelings. “Pakistan is a country that has come a long way from 1999, and the military coup has come as long way from 2001 when it pledged to root out extremism. But it is not a perfect situation and nobody would suggest that it is,” ignoring what democratic progress. Since booting out Nawaz Sharif in 1999, Musharraf's only saving grace is lip service paid to fighting terrorists. In reality, Musharraf struck a deal with the sheikhs and warlords controlling the lawless border with Afghanistan. Since Sept. 11, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban have been given safe haven, despite Musharraf's public remarks. Bin Laden and the Taliban's one-eyed Mullah Mohammed Omar remain free.

      When Pakisstan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto returned from her eight-year exile Oct. 16 to Karachi, she was greeted two days later with a massive suicide bombing, killing nearly 150. While she remained unscathed, she vowed to end Musharraf's authoritarian regime. Since she returned, Musharraf terminated the Supreme Court that authorized Bhutto's return and considered nullifying the ruling giving Musharraf another five-year term. Musharraf has placed Bhutto under house arrest and blocked her from participating in pro-democracy rallies. “All processions, rallies, political gatherings at present are outlawed,” said Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azim,' forbidding Bhutto from participating in a pro-democracy march from Lahore to the capital Islamabad. Bhutto insisted that her freedom march will go on despite the threat Islamic extremism.

      Bhutto seeks a power-sharing arrangement in which Musharraf would continue as president and step down from head of the military. White House officials worry privately that the military could fall into the hands of extremists, exposing Pakistan's nuclear arsenal to the Taliban or al-Qaida. While Bhutto has a small following, she's viewed, like Musharraf, as a U.S. puppet and opposed by Pakistan's radical population. “There are multiple layers of command and control and the weapons are not in danger of falling into any hands,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Sadiq. “Pakistan's nuclear program is very well-guarded,” not concerned whether Musharraf steps down from commanding the military. Musharraf offered no assurances when Pakistan's emergency military declaration would end. Musharraf has given no indication when he expects to end martial law.

      Musharraf promised to end martial law to placate the U.S. and Europeans concerned his crackdown upends Pakistan's democracy. Neither Musharraf nor the U.S. has any intent of giving up the new bloodless coup that suspends Pakistan's constitution, disbands the Supreme Court and avoids parliamentary elections. While Bhutto demands Musharraf step down as army chief, she has no power other than speaking out. U.S. officials have given Musharraf a “nod-and-a-wink” to crackdown on extremists trying to oust him from power. Stacking the deck on a new Supreme Court, Musharraf hopes to secure his power for another five years while dealing with disgruntled politicians like Bhutto and Sharif. White House, Pentagon and State Department officials care less about Pakistan's democracy than the continuity Musharraf provides in fighting the war on terror.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

©1999-2005 Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.
(310) 204-8300
All Rights Reserved.