Musharraf will not be in office by this time next year.

system · June 23, 2007, 7:54pm

Re: Musharraf will not be in office by this time next year.

Interesting points made about American ‘support’ for Pakistani leaders

http://www.dawn.com/2007/06/23/letted.htm#7

American support for Musharraf

THIS is not the first time Washington has declared full support for a Pakistani ruler. The last man to receive this backing was Nawaz Sharif. When his brother Shahbaz Sharif went to the US and held talks with American officials, they declared full support for his brother and asked him not to worry.

The Sharifs’ happiness proved short-lived. Now, Gen Musharraf is in trouble and the US is showering full support on him. This is a dangerous sign.

According to a man close to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, American ambassador invited Bhutto and his army chief on the USA’s Independence Day function in 1977. The man who stayed back was Gen Ziaul Haq, who dismissed Bhutto within 24 hours and then hanged him in 1979.

Zia received full support from the US, chiefly because of the Soviet attack on Afghanistan. This continued till 1988 when Zia died in a mysterious plane crash.

From 1988 to 1999, both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif played for an American gallery but failed to save their rule.

Now the all-powerful general is receiving total support and his men and women are happy. This is a dangerous sign and a lot should be read into the verbal and written statements of State Department officials.

They never opposed Shah of Iran, the Marcos of the Philippines or even Saddam of Iraq before he attacked Kuwait in the 1990s.

Washington is brutal and cruel and one can never bank on its support. It dissolves in the air. Trust your own people and have faith in them.

YUSUF KHAN
Karachi

Good point… Never thought about that.