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Pakistan on the Edge: Angry Citizens Say Time for 'Busharraf' to Go
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ShareNovember 16, 2006 3:15 PM
Anti-American sentiment has reached an all-time high in Pakistan, and it could affect the United States' efforts to track down al Qaeda leaders, U.S. and Pakistani intelligence sources say.
"A worse case scenario," said Robert Grenier, the former director of CIA Counterterrorism, "is that it turns into a full-blown tribal war, and the costs to the Pakistanis are extremely high, and then it is an inhibitor for the Pakistanis to take an aggressive counterterrorism action that we would like for them to take on a continuing basis."
Intelligence sources now fear that, after two missile strikes this year that killed dozens but failed to take out any high-value al Qaeda targets, it could be months, if not years, before the U.S. can launch another strike in Pakistan.
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"Anti-American sentiment is now at a boiling point," said Akbar Ahmed, a former Pakistani High Commissioner and now a professor of Islamic Studies at American University in Washington, D.C. "And with America completely focused on Iraq, the last thing the U.S. needs is a crisis in Pakistan, which is its closest ally in the war on terror in the Eastern frontier."
The recent strike on a madrassa that killed 80 people has only led to increased anger and protests on the streets despite the Pakistani government's claim that the school was training terrorists.
"People are saying President Musharaff has sold out to the U.S., and it's time for him to go," said Ahmed. "They call him 'Busharraf.'"
A worsening of the internal crisis in Pakistan could have a ripple effect in Afghanistan, where the Taliban is now waging a bloody insurgency, according to Ahmed.
"The Taliban situation across the border in Afghanistan would immediately alter because Pakistan gives the Taliban depth; it gives it territory; it gives support in that many of the tribal people sympathize with the Taliban, and suddenly you'll see a very dramatic change in the war on terror in the Eastern front," said Ahmed.
November 16, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (7)
Ha! The joke's on you. Musharaff isn't even a "president", he took over the country in a military coup in 1999 and has been dictator ever since. Clinton embargoed pakistan for the coup but Bush resumed arms transfers as soon as he took office. Seems dictators and Bush go hand in hand. The only way for Pakistanis to restore their democracy would be a coup, and thats unlikely with all the support Musharaff gets from the USA, especially in security and intelligence.
Posted by: Steve Savage | Nov 16, 2006 11:33:55 PM
First Pakistan, then Egypt or Jordan. The list of countries where their leaders are too Pro-US for the populaces liking is growing. It's only a matter of time before the dam bursts.
Posted by: John Farmer, UK | Nov 17, 2006 3:17:48 PM
Arabs and Muslims should realize that the United States was and is their best friend. The U.S. has supported Muslim Turkey against Christian Greece, Muslim Kosovo against Christian Serbia, Muslim Dictatorship in Pakistan against a Secular Democratic India, Muslim Chechnya against a Communist Russia and Supported the withdrawal of Jewish Israel from a predominantly Muslim Palestine.
Without American help Saddam would have conquered the entire Gulf and killed all extremists whom he despised. He attacked Kuwait because Kuwait was drilling sideways into Iraq for oil which Iran is doing now. If any Country with Nuclear weapons threatens the world Then US, Russia and China (No you do not need the U.N.)should get together and remove the regime
and govern the place for as long as necessary to prevent sectarian Violence.
The Palestinian problem can be solved by buying some Sinai desert land and giving it to Palestinians in an Arms for Land deal.
Musharaff along with A.Q.Khan is responsible for the proliferation
of Nuclear and Missile technology
to Iran and North Korea but considering the reality on the ground he or a military officer of his Caliber are the only ones to keep that volatile region stable.
Posted by: HAMU RABI | Nov 19, 2006 6:29:06 PM
I agree john farmer but hamu rabi steve savage: you obviously know nothing about Pakistan (or the region, the entire non-Western world, or foreign affairs for that matter), and i'm not saying that out of hand...I just read your utterly senseless, rambling posts. The Sinai desert? why don't we send YOU to live in the Sinai and you can let us know how you liked it
Posted by: you've got to be kidding me | Nov 21, 2006 8:17:54 PM
It is Musharaff who prevents a radical Islamic take-over of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.
Oh, and Pakistan wasn't exactly pro-American during the Clinton years either...
Posted by: Cuba | Nov 22, 2006 7:37:46 AM
Dear People,
The Taliban is Evil. I realize that I do not understand what the fight is all about. Power? Musharref I believe is trying to save his country, but I do not understand why the people are so unhappy. Is it the have nots that are unhappy, or is it the Islamic Leaders who want the power?
In any event, It's not about oil. And my concern is why Islamic people are so violent to their own. They kill people for selling ice, and barbers and it just seems so bizaar. I'm sure glad I'm not Muslim, their behavior is uncivilized.
FLifeforce@aol.com
Posted by: LeAnn | Nov 28, 2006 12:11:13 AM
its sad that we humans have a problem with each other for some reason or another. violence is one thing that shouldn't be tolerated. saddam was wrong he was eliminated. ok he's gone...cancer is removed. if it recurs deal with it ...until then let the body heal itself, it's been known to do that. iraq is a body of people who have probably had enuf of violence and would likely heal itself. but america with all its power has always tried make peace with violence! its jus the nature of this mentality. my mom used to hit me with this one when i was a kid and it fits..."do as i say not as i do".
our history dictates violence to resolve issues... basically from whether or not we should have tea or why am i not human because i'm a different skin color should tell you that the mentality usually in charge would rather get rid of u then deal with u. so how do u get rid of the taliban?? u can't! its nothing wrong with being a muslim because muslim only means believer in god..in arabic. its saddams of this world who use islam to back their own individual screwed up mentality. who uses america which is us for their own screwed up mentality. the taliban is a result ofyears of watching their own die die at the hands of screwed of mentalities. it'll never go away. u won't stop it with more violence.america i love it..but it 's a lot to be said about the leadership mentality which stays twisted in the old ways....u know wut they say ".... rolls down hill " so we all suffer. now its worldwide.
Posted by: samad | Nov 28, 2006 10:12:51 AM
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