Musharraf
Posted at 12:39pm on Dec. 27, 2007 America Needs Men like Musharraf
By Ben Domenech
The death of Benazir Bhutto is tragic, yes. But it was also absolutely a predictable event. I am convinced that Musharraf himself made every effort to protect Bhutto, but ever since she arrived in Pakistan after the U.S.-brokered deal for her return and rejected the government security efforts, the efforts to assassinate her were inevitably going to succeed. Her insistence on relying on her own greenhorn security forces, and speaking to her supporters in the old way - the large rallies, the public demonstrations - were decisions that doomed her to martyrdom. There is a point where courage becomes recklessness, and Bhutto was far beyond that point.
Talk that Musharraf was a tacit supporter of this assassination is balderdash in my mind - he was never one who wanted Bhutto dead, nor the political pressure that will come with it. The man has stuck his neck out for American interests on more than one occasion, he's now taken off his uniform, he was willing to participate in a negotiated power-sharing alliance - and in return, he was blasted for announcing a crackdown and state of emergency that, in retrospect, was more than deserved.
It is a sad day for freedom and democracy in Pakistan and around the world - but a predictable one.
Posted at 12:46am on Nov. 5, 2007 Pakistan
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
Quite a pickle indeed. In fairness to the White House, it should be pointed out that it will probably take a fair amount of time before any realistic options can be clear. Additionally, it should be noted that an imperfect Musharraf probably is preferable to the alternative, as the story references. But at the same time, an imperfect Musharraf will probably eventually lead to those significantly worse alternatives.
Posted at 5:42pm on Nov. 3, 2007 Okay, So We Have Problems In Pakistan
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
Gen. Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in Pakistan on Saturday, suspending the constitution, replacing the chief justice before a crucial Supreme Court ruling on his future as president, and cutting communications in the capital.
Pakistan's main opposition leader, Benezir Bhutto, flew back to the country from Dubai and was sitting in an airplane at Karachi's airport, waiting to see if she would be arrested or deported, a spokesman said. Dozens of paramilitary troops surrounded her house.
Seven of the 18 Supreme Court judges immediately condemned the emergency, which suspended the current constitution. Police blocked entry to the Supreme Court building and later took the chief justice and other judges away in a convoy, witnesses said.
The government halted all television transmissions in major cities other than state-controlled Pakistan TV. Telephone service in the capital, Islamabad, was cut.
A copy of the emergency order obtained by The Associated Press justified the declaration on the grounds that "some members of the judiciary are working at cross purposes with the executive" and "weakening the government's resolve" to fight terrorism.
Obviously, this situation will require restraint on all sides for the various parties to be able to sit down and settle their disputes. But the long term issue at stake here appears to be Musharraf's fear that by relinquishing his position as Army chief of staff in anticipation of renewing his term as President of Pakistan, he will give up massive amounts of political power and in fact be vulnerable to a coup in the future.
American policy should remain consistent in urging Musharraf to step down as Army chief of staff. Musharraf will keep finding reasons not to do so. In the immediate term, this spells deep trouble for Pakistan and a significant challenge for American foreign policy. And the fact that this crisis is occurring while American and Pakistani forces are working to further curb al Qaeda's reach and influence makes resolving the issue all the more important and urgent.
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