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OK, we have a country with NUKES and with BIN LADEN and a panicky military dictatorship masquerading as a 'limited democracy' that has been acting -- and sounding -- so much like the Argentine generals in the mid 1970's that it makes the hairs go right up the back of the neck; that has a significant and very powerful section of the country that is hard-core medieval Taliban and wants the whole country/world that way, a large wishy-washy section that wants to go socialist-democratic, and then we have the military. They have suspended their constitution, and in the name of controlling radical violent terrorists, have been rounding up and yes, 'disappearing' militants, religious right-wing extremists (also letting some of them go), human rights activists, liberals, and anyone who protests the suspension of the constitution -- and of course they torture, don't be naive, and yes they eliminate people.
Today one of their chief spokesmen said a number of interesting things on radio:
Will Pakistan regain democracy? Pakistan has not lost democracy -- General Musharref was elected to lead, and he is doing that right now, and we will hold the upcoming elections at some point in a few months, and he will win another term.
Well, if it's a democracy, will the General listen to the thousands of protesters in the streets who want the rule of law reinstated? Look, this is all media hype. If you got the media out of it, you would see a few handfuls of stray protesters here and there, but Pakistan is calm, and the great majority of Pakistanis are very happy that the government has taken the necessary steps to clean out the growing terrorist threat.
Why round up human rights workers and pro-democracy advocates along with terrorists? Because it's a chaotic situation, it is dangerous, and we must enforce stability, and this is not the time to debate how we accomplish that goal -- we just must let the military accomplish it. They know best.
What about the detentions and disappearances and violations of basic civil liberties? Excuse me -- what country was it that suspended many civil rights to fight terrorism after 9/11? Wasn't it your country that detains people at home and abroad and in Guantanamo in the name of fighting terrorism? Your country that changed all the rules on interrogation and suspended rule of law for suspected terrorists? Please keep in mind -- we are a nuclear democracy, too, and we are dealing with a terrorist threat -- that you TELL us is a very severe terrorist threat to you, in fact -- by following the model that your country laid down for dealing with domestic terrorists. I am not sure it is sound reasoning to criticize us and threaten to withhold funds unless we do what you tell us, when we are doing what you told your own people it was necessary to do.
OK -- I give him a 10 on style points, 8.5 for logic -- he goes just a little over the top.
Be interesting to see where this heads next week if Benazir Bhutto leads her promised 'long march' to protest the suspension of the constitution.
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oderint dum metuant (Latin for 'let them hate, so long as they fear').
Well, in truth I'm actually not a total hawk, but I'm not a dove either -- I'm more like an angry pigeon flying over the political arena after a really big meal. -Abba Gav
Not to mention under house arrest for a number of years. She must be pretty tough to be a woman trying to run Pakistan!
I mean, you guys might want to consider: Hillary? or Benazir?
__________________
oderint dum metuant (Latin for 'let them hate, so long as they fear').
Well, in truth I'm actually not a total hawk, but I'm not a dove either -- I'm more like an angry pigeon flying over the political arena after a really big meal. -Abba Gav
Not finding any full-body shots that aren't swaddled head to toe, and in more recent pics, she looks a little worn around the edges. But in her prime -- not too bad.
__________________
oderint dum metuant (Latin for 'let them hate, so long as they fear').
Well, in truth I'm actually not a total hawk, but I'm not a dove either -- I'm more like an angry pigeon flying over the political arena after a really big meal. -Abba Gav
Not finding any full-body shots that aren't swaddled head to toe, and in more recent pics, she looks a little worn around the edges. But in her prime -- not too bad.
Wow. She's flashing some ear there. How scandalous.
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