Twenty-Eighth Tuesday Topic
Do you think the United States will continue to back Musharraf as he tightens dictatorial control over Pakistan?
If so, what does that say about the American commitment to democracy?
How do you think the situation in Pakistan will impact the Iraq War?
Labels: Tuesday Topics
1 Comments:
I'm for a cut-off of all military aid to Pakistan, in light of recent developments. Implications for democracy? Perhaps that we're not interested in bankrolling the violent suppression of the general population of Pakistan.
The true flaw on our part though is that our positions are hardly transparent, as things are. The spreading of these reactionary elements has served as Mr. Musharraf's justification to suspending the Pakistani constitution for his own benefit, and this spreading has been the byproduct of threats of invasion by the United States. Nonetheless, it has been noted that, if elections were to be held, Bhutto would likely win, which suggests that the majority of opposition to Musharraf in Pakistan comes from his left; the side dedicated to constitutional civilian rule. Therefore, we may assess that what is developing now in Pakistan is a mass movement to liberate that country from a military dictatorship that is currently propped up by the United States. It would not be a new thing, as Pakistan has been under military rule for most of the last 60 years. Reactionary fundamentalist elements have never polled in excess of 11% in Pakistani elections. It is not particularly likely that they will seize control, as the American media would have us believe.
If the U.S. government wishes to show its alliance with the Pakistani people and not just Pakistan's ruling military, it must immediately stop supporting the violent suppression of the former by the latter. That's my position. It is not a contradiction of democracy to stop supporting murder and brutality.
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