The assassination of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto highlights the folly of Neocon policy in this region.
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When we disserted the people of Afghanistan and our troops who fought and died there in favor of an ill-conceived oil war in Iraq we aided in the situation that manifested itself as a murderous attack on the hope of democracy in nuke armed Pakistan.
It doesn’t matter who we think is responsible or who benefits as much as it matters who the people of Pakistan believe who is responsible and our response to them.
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The Cheney/Bush administration screwed the Afghanistan people and our troops who were fighting the terrorists who really did attack our country on 9/11 by running away from the ‘war on terror’ hijacking it for neoconservative desires in Iraq and at home.
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The Taliban is regaining strength in Afghanistan. Osama Bin Laden is still free and in charge of Al Qaeda which is gaining strength and free reign in western Pakistan. We can’t do anything to curtail their growth because we are bogged down in Iraq while seriously running down the morale and readiness of our military. Our continuing occupation of Iraq is harming us while allowing Al Qaeda to grow in organization, strength and territory to be able to set up training camps along with a platform to attack us.
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General Pervez Musharraf is a military dictator who acquired power by way of a coup. He’s just the latest example of ‘our dictator in the pocket’, at least until it all falls apart. Human Rights in Pakistan are horrendous, they have weapons of ‘mass destruction’, those who would attack us are educated, harbored and trained within their borders, and bin Laden is protected there.
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So we are stuck with a dictator with the Bomb, pointed at India, facing a Taliban-like insurgency that will have the Bomb, pointed at whomever, if they launch a successful coup. There is general dissatisfaction and protest among the population who Musharraf abuses for his own power-lust.
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The ‘declare success then cut and run’ tactic employed by the Bush administration in Afghanistan so we could engage in their dirty little occupation in Iraq has left this area of the globe much more unstable. And were left coddling another human rights violating dictator for short term gain hoping he will do for us what we should have done ourselves.
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If we know where Bin Laden is we should get him regardless of what Musharraf might say but to launch any military attack against Pakistan after the mess which was made in Iraq would be fool hardy at best especially with this current group we have occupying the Whitehouse.
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The next administration is left with diplomacy with human rights as its cornerstone. In all international dealings most feel that our national interests should be first and foremost. But when we side with a dictator against the best interests of the countries own citizens it always does them and us a great disservice.
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From Amnesty International…
Annual Report
PAKISTAN
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from Human Rights Watch…
Pakistan's General Problem
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Is There a Human Rights Double Standard?
US Policy Toward Saudi Arabia, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan
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Pakistan: Pandering to Extremists Fuels Persecution of Ahmadis
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The most threatening country to world piece, besides our nations threats on Iran, is Pakistan. If our little dictator ally falls to extremists we will have a radical Islamic government with the 'Bomb'.
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from the BBC...
Check out the background videos, too.
Musharraf imposes emergency rule
Musharraf Leaves White House in Lurch
By Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Helene Cooper
Activists detained in Pakistan emergency
By MATTHEW PENNINGTON, Associated Press Writer
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071104/ap_on_re_as/pakistan;_ylt=AjlvnmBW9c.xJNommdNm_w2s0NUE
Every time we cuddle up to a dictator for short term gain it comes back to bite us in the rear.
Every time we cuddle up to a dictator for short term gain it comes back to bite us in the rear.
US knew Musharraf planned to institute emergency rule:
reportJohn ByrnePublished: Friday November 23, 2007
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Makes you wonder what they have planned for us if they view Musharraf's response to a puplic rising up peacefully against a military dictator as acceptable.
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Zardari rejects claim of al-Qaida link to Bhutto's murder
Declan Walsh in NauderoTuesday January 1, 2008
Declan Walsh in NauderoTuesday January 1, 2008
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/pakistan/Story/0,,2233865,00.html
CBS, CNN obtain secret dossier alleging Pakistani vote-rigging scheme
David Edwards and Muriel KanePublished: Wednesday January 2, 2008
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/CNN_CBS_obtain_secret_Pakistan_election_0102.html
Scotland Yard To Help Investigation
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/02/benazir-bhutto-assassinat_n_78385.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/pakistan/Story/0,,2233865,00.html
CBS, CNN obtain secret dossier alleging Pakistani vote-rigging scheme
David Edwards and Muriel KanePublished: Wednesday January 2, 2008
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/CNN_CBS_obtain_secret_Pakistan_election_0102.html
Scotland Yard To Help Investigation
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/02/benazir-bhutto-assassinat_n_78385.html
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The real threat is the existence of conditions which allow terrorism to grow within third world countries, such as poverty, ignorance, lack of adequate health care and human rights.
The real threat is the existence of conditions which allow terrorism to grow within third world countries, such as poverty, ignorance, lack of adequate health care and human rights.
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Those are the conditions which exist under the rule of self-serving dictators. The seeds of terrorism are sown in this environment and gradually grow to maturity. The mistake we make is that once terrorism rears its ugly head in a country, we support the dictatorship even more, thereby losing the trust and respect of the average citizens in that country.
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Someone in the United States might say, "How can anyone choose an extremist form of Islam over democracy?" But if America supports your leader and you’re living on a dirt floor while your baby is dying and your brother is rotting in prison because he spoke his mind, you might think, "How could radical Islam be any worse than the way I have it now?".
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If we wish to stop the rising tide of terrorism we must stop supporting or tolerating dictators and let the people of the country know this. At the same time we must encourage and help growth in the economy, education and human rights of these countries and not the military weaponry of tyrants.
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War is a poor answer to a human problem; a diplomatic problem. Don’t let the militaristic neoconservatives lead you to believe the only road to peace is by the gun. They are wrong.
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The threat and fear of radical fundamentalist Islam is morphing into a paranoid dread of all Islam.
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Masters of War
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