Musharraf Plays Bush for a Fool

[pberq]

Another angle to this story, not stated in this article, is the administration's threat of military intervention in Pakistan if Musharraf falls.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/20/5336/

Published on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
Musharraf Plays Bush for a Fool
by Marjorie Cohn

Pakistan’s President General Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency on November 3rd after the Pakistani Supreme Court indicated it would overturn the results of an illegitimate election that would have extended Musharraf’s term as president. Musharraf quickly fired the Supreme Court justices who planned to rule against him. And his declaration of emergency attacked the entire population of Pakistan by suspending fundamental constitutional rights to life and liberty, freedom of speech, assembly and association, and equal protection of the law.

. . .

The real motivation for Musharraf’s declared emergency is not to defend the country against “Islamic extremists,” as he claims, but to maintain Musharraf in power. He acted to prevent public protests that lawyers and political parties were organizing. And his scheme is working. Musharraf’s new brand-new, hand-picked Supreme Court ruled on Monday that Musharraf can remain in power for five more years.

. . .

Bush dispatched Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte to Pakistan to talk sense to Musharraf. Negroponte urged Musharraf to end the state of emergency. But Bush’s man didn’t complain about Musharraf shutting down the Supreme Court and replacing it with his loyalists. Negroponte also failed to tell Musharraf to release the judges and lawyers from prison. So much for democracy and an independent judiciary.

The recipient of nearly $11 billion of U.S. aid since 9/11, Musharraf will cover for his benefactor Bush to keep him from losing face in light of the Pakistani strongman’s blatant and tyrannical power grab. Musharraf has agreed that parliamentary elections scheduled for January will proceed and that he will take off his military uniform after the sham elections are held. Of course, Musharraf’s jailed political opponents will likely find it difficult to campaign effectively for seats in parliament while incarcerated under a state of martial law.

[yojon]

1. I wonder if the reason Negroponte visited Perv

was to try to convince him of something or (more likely) to pick up some tips on accelerating the fascist takeover of a society. Perv just played out Bush's fondest dream.

[pberq]

3. Good point - they probably compared notes on the

best way to run a dictatorship while still maintaining the semblance of a democracy.

[bemildred]

2. Bush is a fool. There is no need for anyone to play tricks on him. nt