Another case of double standards

This week's chaos in Pakistan has exposed the United States' double standards and has given the Bush administration a challenge in how to handle one of its closest allies in the region who has suddenly made abundantly clear that he does not share the full range of values espoused by the Bush administration.

Following the terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon in September 2001, the whole world rallied in sympathy to support American action against Al Qaida.

Given Pakistan's long border with Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and its close relationship with the Taliban themselves, it was particularly important for America that General Pervez Musharraf's government came out strongly in support of Bush's actions.

Bush flung down his challenge to the world, saying that "you are with us or you are against us", and the world diplomacy changed totally onto that single issue.

The previous two decades of global diplomacy had been about steady development of multi-lateral issues such as human rights, globalisation of trade and services, reducing global warming and other environmental questions.

Following 9/11 all these important issues were pushed sharply down the agenda and the United States was ready to work with any country if it supported the war on terror.

Musharraf's unstinting support for America at the time allowed him to gloss over many undeniably awkward facts which faced any democrat or democratic government dealing with Pakistan.

Musharraf had come to power through a military coup, had banned opposition to his rule and was determined to remain a military figure in charge of a formerly democratic country, with nuclear capability unmonitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

But his close attention to what the American military needed in the allies' invasion of Afghanistan allowed the general to receive international support and to avoid calls for elections.

However, earlier this year Musharraf's balancing act of holding two posts as head of the military and president of the republic, began to wobble.

The continuing demand for elections and for Musharraf to become a civilian and elected president had been acknowledged by Musharraf, but he knew that it would be a difficult task to do this and maintain his authority over the military, which he regarded as essential.

During this year the Supreme Court has shown that it was more independent than would be comfortable for Musharraf, since any challenge to his continuing as president would need to be validated by the court.

Musharraf sacked the Chief Justice in March, but then had to reinstate him. In October Musharraf was elected as president while remaining in charge of the army, and his election was challenged in court as he expected.

The Supreme Court was due to make a crucial ruling on this in a few weeks time, and was expected to rule against Musharraf's election. To avoid this, he imposed Emergency Rule, clamping down on the court and media, and has put the process of moving into a general election into question.

Free elections require an ordered process of all parties being allowed to stand and campaign openly for their causes, and for the voters to make their choice and then the votes have to be counted correctly.

All these requirements mean that a genuine election needs months for the politicians to prepare to seek the public's support. This cannot be done in a few weeks, particularly in Pakistan where normal politics have been suspended for many years.

Challenge

The challenge facing the Americans and the whole international community is how to react to Musharraf's rejection of returning Pakistan to normal democracy.

The war against terror is not just a matter of bringing terrorists to justice and stopping their organisations. It is also about supporting systems of government and society which will make those who want to resort to the use of terror a minuscule minority with no popular support.

The major reason that the massive wave of sympathy for Bush and the US following 9/11 has changed to worldwide anti-Americanism, was that the US abandoned its core values in pursuit of the terrorists.

The atrocities in Abu Ghraib prison, the illegal rendition of prisoners and use of torture, and the bizarre legal rulings which declared the prisoners taken not to be subject to normal laws, all combined with the now totally discredited political doctrine of pre-emptive regime change in Iraq and Afghanistan, have allowed any ally of the United States to feel that they could also ignore the established norms of twenty first century government.

However, by suspending Pakistan's constitution Musharraf has moved way beyond what the Nato allies in the continuing war in Afghanistan should tolerate.

This combines with a lingering suspicion that the Pakistani army and intelligence services remain unwilling to prosecute the war against their former allies, the Taliban, with the firmness that the Nato forces in Afghanistan are seeking.

Even if Musharraf wanted to, he has found it hard to force the army to move against the militants in Pakistan.

The successful way forward needs Musharraf to recognise that he has made a serious mistake this week. Neither the international community nor the political parties and Pakistani public can accept what has happened.

If he does not change course he condemns his government to be marginalised, which might suit some of his generals in the short term, but no-one else benefits at all.

International communities just have a bird eye view of Pakistan. If they zoom in and look at the ground realities they will definitely support Musharaf with his decisions. The political bodies in the country is just exploiting the situation, they are using the law articles as their weapon to come into the power. None of the political party is credible enough to run the country.
Saad
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 08, 2007, 12:16

Pakistan needs at least three years of strict emergency to bring the situation under full control and prepare the country for free and fair elections.
Ahmed
Bangalore,India
Posted: November 08, 2007, 10:37

We Pakistanis hope,that common sense prevails within the power-crazy leaders of Pakistan. We so badly want a fresh start, and a certain change particularly from Gen. Musharraf, Mrs. Bhutto and Mr Mian Nawaz.
Muhammed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 08, 2007, 09:49

No one (including the US) wants to get involved too deeply in the current upheaval because Pakistan is so incredibly unstable that to even associate with it is a risk.
Ryan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 08, 2007, 08:42

The international community should not interfere because this is an internal issue of a country.
Ihsan
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 08, 2007, 08:31