Saturday, November 03, 2007

Tyranny in Pakistan

These are the actions of a tyrant.

Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf has declared emergency rule and suspended the country’s constitution.

Troops have been deployed inside state-run TV and radio stations, while independent channels have gone off air.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who condemned the moves, has been replaced and is being confined to the Supreme Court with 10 other judges.

It comes as the court was due to rule on the legality of Gen Musharraf’s re-election victory in October.

The court was to decide whether Gen Musharraf was eligible to run for election last month while remaining army chief.

The justification for the emergency rule is very very weak.  It looks more like Musharraf was fearful of being ousted from office by the supreme court. 

So what, if anything, should America do?  Musharraf has been helpful to us in our efforts in Afghanistan and elsewhere, but he is clearly acting the tyrant.  Personally, I think that the US should condemn his actions and suspend aid to Pakistan (including the support for Musharraf’s security force that I’m sure we’re providing) until Musharraf backs down and allows the rule of law to prevail.  There will be consequences that may include the decline of Pakistan into anarchy or a terrorist state, difficulty in the supply chain to allied troops in Afghanistan, the sale of one of Pakistan’s nukes to Iran or someone else, and a host of other things.  But I believe that the possible negative consequences of such an action are outweighed by our long term interests in supporting the rule of law to prevail in a country like Pakistan. 

What do y’all think?

(6) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1253 hrs
Foreign Affairs

  1. It’s one heck of a mess…isn’t it? 

    Too many factions over there in the same country. Too many competing interests…...

    The question is whether a “moderate” can survive there with an open government that could get along with the US.  My guess right now is no.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 03, 2007 at 1458 hrs


  2. I think that the US should condemn his actions and suspend aid to Pakistan (including the support for Musharraf’s security force that I’m sure we’re providing) until Musharraf backs down and allows the rule of law to prevail.

    Exactly right Owen, if we do anything but the above we will lose any credibility we have left in that part of the world.

    As the Turks told Rice the other day it is time for less jaw and more paw. I am paraphrasing a bit.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 03, 2007 at 1724 hrs


  3. The United States must condemn this action.  We must not fail to stand up for basic foundations of even limited democratic processes in nations such as Pakistan.  Let us not forget that military dictatorhsips do not provide progess anywhere in the world.

    The people of Pakistan will not forget how we act at this time.  The people in Iran did not forget how we were cozy with the Shah.

    Posted by dekerivers on November 03, 2007 at 1731 hrs


  4. The question than becomes who does the US turn to? No doubt the comparison to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi is apt. However, dumping the Shah also proved to be bad policy and IMO was one of the key events that set us on the path to where we are today.

    Pakistan is a nuclear armed nation. Unfortunately, the likes of the Taliban would stand a better than comfortable chance of obtaining substantial power. Unless a strong leader like Benazir can win enough support to take over and it sounds Pervez timed his move when she was back in Dubai. About two months ago Nawaz Sharif the guy Pervez kicked out of power attempted returning to Pakistan but was sent back to Saudi Arabia.

    I bet guys in DC are up late tonight.

    Posted by Marcus Aurelius on November 03, 2007 at 2219 hrs


  5. We should continue our past practice of supporting a tyrant in the name of short-term interests despite our rhetoric about supporting democracy, then seeing the population turn extremist, revolt and take power, and then demonize anyone who dares question why we supported the tyrant in the first place.

    Just like in Iran. Look how that turned out.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 04, 2007 at 2332 hrs


  6. It is not an easy proposition either way. No way is certain, supporting either camp in Pakistan may lead to a complete disaster.

    Posted by Marcus Aurelius on November 05, 2007 at 0715 hrs


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