Rice not to pressure Musharraf on democracy: US

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.eians.com/stories/2005/03/11/11dor.shtml

Washington, March 11 (IANS) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would not pressure Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to move towards democracy during her March 17-18 visit to Islamabad, the State Department has indicated.

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli hedged around the question of whether Secretary Rice would demand Musharraf turn his country progressively towards a democracy as President George W. Bush has made it part of his global foreign policy agenda. Rice is travelling in South and East Asia from March 14 to 21.

Asked whether Rice would urge Musharraf to give up his army chief's post, Ereli said: "If the subject comes up, we would reiterate our longstanding policy, which is that movement toward democracy is to be encouraged, is to be welcomed, and that we want to help support Pakistan as it takes the steps to, I think, take the steps to answer the people's call."

But "Musharraf decides" what and when he does that, Ereli said. Washington believes he is committed to moving in the right direction.

more

[sundancekid]

1. ah, yes, the old "democracy-a-la-carte" ploy, and only when it suits us

[theHandpuppet]

2. Oh yes, just another example of the Bush doctrine...

Democracy must be spread like the Gospels! Free Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq!

Disclaimer:
Er... these conditions apply to all residents of Muslim nations except those citizens of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan or any other country currently sucking up to the Bushreich.

[LynnTheDem]

3. The people of Pakistan HATE our guts. The ONLY thing between us and

them is Musharraf.

IF he went for democracy, OBVIOUSLY the winner would be one who HATED our guts.

How come the right can't figure this out??? The LAST thing bush wants is democracy in the ME. Or in Latin America.

It's so easy, WHY don't they get it???!!

1. The oppressed peoples in the ME hate their oppressive governments.

2. They also hate America.

3. If they got to choose their own leaders, they would NOT be choosing leaders who were pro-American.

4. The LAST thing bushCartel want is any nation, especially any nation with extremely valuable resources bushCartel covet, is an ANTI-AMERICAN government.

5. DUUUUHHHHH.

[Cooley Hurd]

7. The Bush Doctrine, and every resulting act from it, has made it difficult

...for the moderates in Muslim countries to prevail. The foreign policy disasters of this admnistration will haunt us for a century or more to come (provided we last even THAT long)...:(

[tlcandie]

4. But we need to invade Venezeula?!?!?!?!

Totally off the wall here....but because they are our BUDS and doing our bidness we are all good and we see nothing!! :crazy:

[indepat]

5. How many, mostly right-wing, dictators has this nation be aligned with?

[Rose Siding]

6. How about the $540K for al qaeda -will she ask about that?

Pakistan pays tribe al-Qaeda debt

Pakistan says it has paid 32m rupees ($540,000) to help four former wanted tribal militants in South Waziristan settle debts with al-Qaeda.
Military operations chief in the region, Lt Gen Safdar Hussain, said the payments were part of a peace deal signed on Monday with tribesmen.

It is the first time Pakistan has admitted making such payments.

Also on Wednesday, wanted militant Abdullah Mehsud rejected Monday's peace deal signed by others in his tribe.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4249525.stm