Musharaf is at times highly articulate and reasonable and at other times, like when he says that the Berlin wall came down because of the policies of Pakistan he seems simply out of focus. Then when he draws a distinction between terrorism and extremism he seems very reasonable. By the way there´s a very good article on him at the Safe Democracy web site.
If you can´t see the video, please try here
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Lawer on September 21, 2006 ·
C’mon Martin, Musharraf is a bloddy dictator, and there is no democracy in Pakistan. Anyway it’s not important, is it?
olive on September 21, 2006 ·
There was a time where Europe was pushing democracy in Africa, especially in Magrheb.
And the islamists won the election in Algeria…
Followed a military cup and a bloody civil war.
Since Europe has been really really compressive with the concept of democracy in Africa,
as for example in its relations with Tunisia. But who cares, the economy is so good there !
The fear of Islamists made us blind toward our most important values.
It is a really sad.
Hasan on September 21, 2006 ·
There is a running joke among Pakistanis everywhere that there is a round-the-clock conspiracy against them and they have a deluded sense of self-importance.
Robert on September 22, 2006 ·
Continued Western support of Pakistan FOSTERS Terrorism.
Every Westerner should understand that Pakistan is ruled by its 50% Punjabi majority who is constantly having to pay off corrupt officials of the other three ethnic groups in the country to keep them inline. This has been going on since 1947. It must be realized neither the Balochi or Afghans (Pashtuns) ever wanted to join Pakistan in the first place.
This now very old trodden path has become untenable even for the corrupt as the masses of the three other groups (the Balochi, Sindhi and Afghan(Pashtun) want out. The US needs to support these secular nationalists (Asfandyar Wali Khan & Mahmood Khan Achickzai) in seceeding.
The idea that Islamabad is going to nuke its own people is mute…..not gonna happen. Nor are they going to nuke India as India has nothing to do with this internal struggle for freedom.
The longer the US waits, the more advantage the Islamic radicals get. IT MUST BE NOTED that since the killing of Bugti (the Baloch Secularist) the MMA party (Islamic Fundamentalists) who ordinarily would support Musharraf, because it is he who set them up, had to oppose him as the common people themselves shifted against the state.
Pakistan is going to fall apart becuse ISLAM is not able to unite these very different people and becuase the Punjab refuse to stop playing the role of the Raj. We need to be in there to support what is right (democracy and secularism) and gain the good will….if we do not….radicals will come in with their support of secession but with a very darker spin.
That’s the facts………
It is upsetting to see how, still, the Western media refuses to talk about the long history of secular democratic oppression in Pakistan often with the tactical ok of the US.
A independent Balochistan and Greater Afgahnistan will be the most ardent pro-US (West) countries we have ever seen, they will have the ability to stop the madrasaas….all this and more if we give them the assurance we will not support their oppressors…that we will not help Islamabad once again crush their secular democratic aspirations.
What would the founding fathers say? What would Lafayette say?
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olive on September 21, 2006 ·
By the way do you know what is written on a Pakistanis passport:
You can use this passport in any country except Israel