Earthside Comments: First, stunning new video that puts the unvarnished truth to the Musharraf/military lie about the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
What is particularly disgusting is the way politicians in this country and the Bush regime are supporting the continuance of the Musharraf dictatorship, while using the appropriate begrudging rhetoric, of course. It looks like U.S. international relations are now so decadent and depraved that a murdering, lying dictator is supported from the American moderate left to the neocon right.
This is exactly where Musharraf and Bush wanted to go -- a feign towards democracy in Pakistan with an end result being a hardcore, jackboot military regime compliant towards the radical Republican, Bushite, neocon world view. Musharraf is an illegal 'president' in Pakistan, any elections held sooner or later will be suspect, further violence will rationalize de facto martial law, the Islamicist 'terrorists' have been blamed for all the trouble -- the resulting chaos will necessitate Musharraf and his military remaining the 'stablizing force' for sometime to come.
This works for Bush and the radical right in this country because it advances the neocon prpaganda effort to make it look like they were pushing for democracy in Pakistan, but, hey, things happen you know. Now they get a fresh reason to cry 'Terror! Terror! Terror!' from here until election day (ie., better vote Republican or you'll be blown-up).
Additional, as noted in the excerpts from the Eric Margolis article below, Bush wanted three air bases in Pakistan to be part of any U.S. attack on Iran. With Bhutto out of the way, Musharraf-Bush are again free to contemplate the next big war -- once a new pretext for bombing Iran is concocted. (The Margolis article was written in November 2007; it is very interesting in revealing the Pakistan political environment that led to the most recent tragedy.)
It is indeed a high risk political game Bush and Musharraf are playing ... things could yet careen out of control for them. But the pay-off -- if it all works -- would certainly make the risk worthwhile, from the 'war is glorious and solves all problems' point of view, that is.
So, let's see what happens next.
Link: Washington Stirs a Witch's Brew in Pakistan | Eric Margolis - November 12, 2007
Plans by President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney to attack Iran have been at least temporarily derailed by the mounting crisis in Pakistan. Not only is this important South Asia nation a key US ally in its conflict with anti-western Muslim groups (aka `the war of terror’), the US also planned to use three Pakistani air bases it now controls to launch air attacks against Iran.
I’ve been in regular contact with former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. She calls the situation `grim.’ On Friday, she was temporarily put under house arrest, preventing her from leading a mass demonstration in Islamabad. On Tuesday, she plans to lead a mass protest march from Lahore, to which she flew over the weekend, to Islamabad, mobilizing her party faithful and challenging the Musharraf regime.
Another important Pakistani party, Jamiat Islami, is also threatening mass demonstrations. Bhutto and other opposition leaders are calling on Musharraf to resign as military chief and run in fair, internationally supervised elections.
Bhutto tells me she may face another attempt to kill her. She accuses allies of President-General Pervez Musharraf of trying to assassinate her in the October 18th bombing in Karachi that killed or wounded hundreds. ...
... Musharraf’s imposition of martial law, arrest of Supreme Court justices who were going to rule illegal his continued role as commander-in-chief and president, arrest of other opposition figures and muzzling the formerly feisty media have proven most embarrassing to the Bush Administration which claims to be an apostle of democracy. Bush, who claims to have invaded Afghanistan and Iraq in order to bring them the light of democracy, must continue supporting Pakistan’s military dictator or see his war in Afghanistan collapse.
So, under heavy pressure from Washington, Musharraf agreed to hold elections on 15 January and release some jailed opponents. Washington hailed Musharraf. In reality, however, it was another cynical ploy. Every election Musharraf has held since seizing power in 1999 has been rigged. Does anyone really believe there will be fair elections in Pakistan under martial law or with the media gagged?
Musharraf, who commands less than 8% popular support, and is widely hated as an American stooge, knows he would lose any honest election. What he plans are the same kind of farcical `democratic elections’ held by the US-backed military dictatorships of Egypt and Algeria. ...
... Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani, the newly named vice chief of staff, could be Pakistan’s next strongman. If Musharraf is overthrown, killed or driven from office, Washington has chosen Gen. Kiyani as its Plan B, either with or without Benazir Bhutto. Kiyani has close links to the US and received part of his military training there.
If Musharraf does finally resign his command, Kiyani will control the military. Musharraf will be left without a power base – or perhaps even army protection.
Benazir Bhutto tells me pro-Taliban tribesmen and Uzbek allies in Northwest Frontier Province on the Afghan border are rapidly taking over cities and towns. Army troops ordered to attack them have surrendered or refused to fire. The Swat Valley, which is well inside Pakistan, fell to Islamists two weeks ago.
This could mark the beginning of a rebellion in the ranks. The loyalty of the army’s senior officers has been rented by billions of dollars of secret aid CIA has funneled through Musharraf. Those who could not be bought were ousted, including Pakistan’s most capable military men. ...
... In lauding Musharraf, President Bush made no mention of the dictator’s disgraceful firing of Supreme Court justices who were about to declare Mush’s ongoing rule violated the constitution. Nor has Bush or the US Congress issued any demands that the exiled former PM Nawaz Sharif, leader of Pakistan’s other major political party, the Muslim League, be allowed to return to contest elections.
So much for supporting democracy. In the name of fighting extremism, Musharraf has jailed or intimidated nearly all of Pakistan’s political moderates.
In Washington’s wrongheaded view, it’s either Mush or the mullahs. Or if Musharraf falters, then it’s Bhutto or Gen. Kiyani. ...
... Anyone who still wonders why so many people in the Muslim World hate the west needs look no further than Pakistan, where, in the name of `democracy’ and `counter-terrorism’ Washington and London are stirring a witches brew of dictatorship, intrigue and violence.
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