Mike Pouraryan
Secretary Clinton's Walk-About in Pakistan
Mrs. Clinton has been in Pakistan for the past few days. She made the Pakistanis mad by implying that they knew where Osama Bin Ladin was. When I read this, my reaction was this: It is about time someone stood up and told that Government a thing or two. She also apparently was taken aback by an exchange with students at Pakistani universities. There needs to be a realization that Pakistanis are apprehensive and worried. Even the Taliban seem to realize that they need to have the people on their side--as evidenced by their swift denial of the attack on Peshawar that I wrote about in SP's sister site, Outsider Views.
As I have also continued to assess the options, I wondered about what Tariq Ali and Ahmad Rashid were thinking about Afghanistan. This current column by Tariq Ali in Counter Punch is interesting reading: Really Long Link What is clear to me is that many know the fraud that Karzai is. Yet, somehow, he is America and the West man. I continue to wonder when America will learn from the mistakes it made with the Shah, with Diem in Vietnam, with Moboto in Zaire, with Zia and Musharaf in Pakistan, etc. etc. I did feel sorry for Musharaf and spoke up for him. But the reality is that Musharaf could have put Pakistan on a more sound footing. He decided not to do it.
The Comedy of errors goes on without end. When will the powers-that-are realize it?
As I have also continued to assess the options, I wondered about what Tariq Ali and Ahmad Rashid were thinking about Afghanistan. This current column by Tariq Ali in Counter Punch is interesting reading: Really Long Link What is clear to me is that many know the fraud that Karzai is. Yet, somehow, he is America and the West man. I continue to wonder when America will learn from the mistakes it made with the Shah, with Diem in Vietnam, with Moboto in Zaire, with Zia and Musharaf in Pakistan, etc. etc. I did feel sorry for Musharaf and spoke up for him. But the reality is that Musharaf could have put Pakistan on a more sound footing. He decided not to do it.
The Comedy of errors goes on without end. When will the powers-that-are realize it?
