More On Negroponte's Visit To Pakistan
A couple of days ago I posted on Assistant Secretary of State Negroponte's rather premature visit to Pakistan to meet with that country's new leaders even before many of them were selected and sworn in (here). One Pakistani newspaper suggested that the visit was evidence of "indecent haste."
In yesterday's Los Angeles Times, an article filled in more of the back story and more of the details of that rather ill-conceived diplomatic mission.
Not so long ago, the Bush administration could take a one-stop approach to its dealings with Pakistan. Whether Washington wanted to carry out airstrikes against Al Qaeda, trade sensitive intelligence or orchestrate the arrest of a terrorism suspect, it essentially came down to dialing the number of one man: President Pervez Musharraf.
Now all that has changed. ...
It has indeed.
President Musharraf found himself in the unenviable position of having to swear in as Prime Minister a man he had previously jailed for leading an opposition party. The new cabinet is comprised of other opposition leaders. The new head of the Pakistani military, who replaced President Musharraf after he finally renounced that position, has removed the military from the political arena and has promised to be accountable to the civilian government. In other words, no more one-stop shopping for the US when it comes to Pakistan.
Amazingly enough, that didn't stop Negroponte from trying. The chilly reception he received from the new government must have taken him aback, however. For the last six years the current administration has pretty much gotten whatever they wanted from President Musharraf as long as we paid in the military gifts so necessary to keep the junta afloat. Now the chickens (or the karma) have come to roost, and the US has been caught flat-footed.
Here's the most amazing part of this whole story, however. When asked about the new parameters, Mr. Negroponte's response was stunning, not to mention a candidate for the most multi-leveled ironic statement ever uttered by a member of the current administration:
In Karachi, asked for his current assessment of a leader now vulnerable to impeachment by a hostile parliament, the envoy paused.
"He is of course president of the country," he said of Musharraf. Whatever the Pakistani people decide about his ultimate political fate, Negroponte said, "we will certainly respect."
Yeah, right.
In yesterday's Los Angeles Times, an article filled in more of the back story and more of the details of that rather ill-conceived diplomatic mission.
Not so long ago, the Bush administration could take a one-stop approach to its dealings with Pakistan. Whether Washington wanted to carry out airstrikes against Al Qaeda, trade sensitive intelligence or orchestrate the arrest of a terrorism suspect, it essentially came down to dialing the number of one man: President Pervez Musharraf.
Now all that has changed. ...
It has indeed.
President Musharraf found himself in the unenviable position of having to swear in as Prime Minister a man he had previously jailed for leading an opposition party. The new cabinet is comprised of other opposition leaders. The new head of the Pakistani military, who replaced President Musharraf after he finally renounced that position, has removed the military from the political arena and has promised to be accountable to the civilian government. In other words, no more one-stop shopping for the US when it comes to Pakistan.
Amazingly enough, that didn't stop Negroponte from trying. The chilly reception he received from the new government must have taken him aback, however. For the last six years the current administration has pretty much gotten whatever they wanted from President Musharraf as long as we paid in the military gifts so necessary to keep the junta afloat. Now the chickens (or the karma) have come to roost, and the US has been caught flat-footed.
Here's the most amazing part of this whole story, however. When asked about the new parameters, Mr. Negroponte's response was stunning, not to mention a candidate for the most multi-leveled ironic statement ever uttered by a member of the current administration:
In Karachi, asked for his current assessment of a leader now vulnerable to impeachment by a hostile parliament, the envoy paused.
"He is of course president of the country," he said of Musharraf. Whatever the Pakistani people decide about his ultimate political fate, Negroponte said, "we will certainly respect."
Yeah, right.
posted by Diane at 3:14 AM
1 Comments:
You see, we really loved him and told him what to do when we could. He is just like Bush and, and, well...
'In Karachi, asked for his current assessment of a leader now vulnerable to impeachment by a hostile parliament, the envoy paused.
"He is of course president of the country," he said of Musharraf. Whatever the Pakistani people decide about his ultimate political fate, Negroponte said, "we will certainly respect." '
You certainly will respect it, Negroponte! It is not your country and not your leader. The people of the US should be as lucky. Nobody seems to respect our decisions to impeach!
PEASANTPARTY
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