Kiran Khalid, Pakistani-American freelance TV reporter who is currently working on a documentary about electronic media censorship in Pakistan, and Sabahat Ashraf, a writer/blogger, on President Musharraf's enforcement of a state of emergency in Pakistan.
It seams that the fundimental flaw of US foriegn policy has been the idea that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Musharraf has been unable or unwilling to persue anti-US forces in the tribal areas along the afghan border. Why do we continue to support a despot who has nuclear weapons?
The least the US can do is slow aid to Pakistan.
Musharraf looks like the next in a long line of people we have worngly supported to meat short term political needs in the ilk of Sadam Hussein, Manuel Noriega & Osama Bin-Laden.
Thank you for the discussions. Shanta Devarajan, Chief Economist of the World Bank South Asia Region, comments on his blog (http://endpovertyinsouthasia.worldbank.org/) about the situation in Pakistan and are inviting people to share their views on this important matter.
http://endpovertyinsouthasia.worldbank.org/emergency-rule-and-poverty-reduction-pakistan
I actually agree with Kiran on the point that United States should not make an excuse of the present regime's actions against terrorism and compromise on restoration of democracy in Pakistan. But, can it go well when the US has a brilliant record of supporting military dictators in Pakistan and imposing the strictest of sanctions during the few democratic tenures in Pakistani political history.
Why is Kiran shocked? Nothing shocking at all. Like Sabahat says, "deja vu" and I say: What Emergency? Martial Law is the only thing that flies in Pakistan... has the country ever been allowed to try anything else??? :-)
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