Posts About Pakistan
Hard Choices for Bhutto and Musharraf
Pakistan’s Army needs Bhutto so it can rig elections, create a fractious government and hold on to effective power.
Put This Question to Rest
This is a favorite question of Western analysts but it's an absurd question because Partition is a fact of life and a fact of history now for millions of Indians and Pakistanis.
Musharraf = Military Rule, Cannot Survive
Musharraf cannot survive the year. His actions have pitted the armed forces against the Pakistani public, and if he continues to defy the public will, he may plunge the country into civil war. Cooperation with the U.S. is not the problem; the Pakistani people want an end to military rule, and the symbol of that is Musharraf.
Pakistan Searches for 'Plan B'
As I see it, every new leader in Pakistan’s history has gained power by coup or assassination.
Why Not Dissolve Pakistan, Too?
Pakistan is dangerous because it should never have been a country in the first place.
Opening Old Wounds to Polarize
This opening of old wounds is a desperate attempt to polarize communities. It is simply a bad idea -- be it honoring Rushdie or promoting the violent ideas of bin Laden. Both are misguided efforts rooted in an aimless desire for more violence. Few have read Rushdie's book, and equally few have read Khomeini's fatwa.
Not Just Pakistan's Problem
Islamist extremists who can pull off such a daring and coordinated assassination could easily do so in other parts of the world.
Pakistan to America: Keep Out
If the U.S. wants any future Pakistani leader to salvage a measure of legitimacy, it must adopt a hands-off policy there.
Men Die for Other Men, Not for God
Hard as it may seem, I can understand people rejecting change and determined to continue to live as the Prophet lived in the 14th century. But what I cannot understand is how they are able to twist the words and actions of the Prophet, in whom they so vehemently believe, and commit such inhuman crimes in his name.
Not the First Accused of Blasphemy
Britain knighted Salman Rushdie like many British citizens before him, honored for their service to Britain. Protesting this internal affair is like protesting against granting British citizenship to Rushdie, or to any other individual. Rushdie is not the first and will definitely not be the last writer with a Muslim name to be accused of blasphemy.
Even First World Pardons Their Kings
No judicial system in the entire world is free from political influence. At least the Third World doesn't brag about the independent of their judicial systems, while the First World hides behind the nobel language of its constitutions.
Politics Precedes Religion
Somalia/United Arab Emirates - Looking at the Middle East and the Muslim world in general one can see that Pope Benedict's tongue in cheek apology didn't go down well. One of the renowned scholars, Sheikh Yousef Al Qaradawi, said in his popular Al Jazeera Television program that he thought the Pope had not apologized. Qaradawi had even called on Muslims to hold a day of " anger" on Friday, the last Friday before the start of Ramadan....
Bhutto's Death Raises Larger Issues
Expect rumors and conspiracy theories, and deeper questions about just how committed the U.S. is to democratic change in Pakistan.
U.S. Can’t Wash Its Hands of Pakistan
A hands-off U.S. policy would give a green light to a dictator whose sole interest is settling his own scores.
Musharraf Must Move Out Gradually
The key is a timetable for returning to civilian rule.
Violence Not a Shortcut to End Conflict
Last spring, the Palestinian prime minister's spokesman wrote a courageous article criticizing a phenomenon he felt was prevailing among his people: trying to resolve every conflict by violence. The crisis in Pakistan this week shows further how individuals, movements and governments have lost patience with the time it takes to resolve conflicts, and are looking for shortcuts by using force.
Hope in Pakistan's Lawyers
Many struggles for democracy and freedoms in the Arab World and other places are thwarted partly by the lack of independence of legal systems. Pakistani lawyers are now putting their lives in the line of fire to uphold the rule of law.
Pakistan Under Fire from Outside and In
Pakistan today is a reminder of the danger of blindly choosing security and military measures over institution-building.
End Occupation or Kill the Occupier?
Islamist martyrs, such as those in Palestine, have not always died for Islam. Many seek to end an occupation, not to fight unconditionally for an ideology. The students at the Red Mosque also sought to protest real injustice, but Musharraf's siege invoked martyrdom in those who felt condemned by the state whichever way they turned.
Classic Dictator: Tried to Play Both Sides
President Musharraf seems to be damned if he does continue cooperating with the U.S. -- and damned if he does not. The damage started when the U.S. and Pakistan supported extremists against the Soviet Union decades ago; now the extremists may be best poised to fill the vacuum when he falls.
No Easy Way Out for Military Dictators
Only a strong state can build a strong military, and not the other way around.
Install a Muslim Force in Iraq
New Delhi, India - The most important word in the question is 'three', for 9/11 occurred five years ago. Muslims of faith are sensitive to the difference between justice and injustice, and they view the occupation of Iraq, with its chorus of lies and daily scenes of death, as the ultimate injustice of our times....
Worry About People, Not Countries
Dubbing Pakistan the newest “Evil Empire” is misguided and a waste of time.
Define “Dangerous”
The “world’s most dangerous country” distinction depends on what kind of danger you’re looking at. Terrorism? Violence against women? Global warming?
Al-Qaeda Readies in Pakistan, While America Waits
Picture this: A terrifying new report is delivered to the U.S. President. It states starkly that al-Qaeda is in the last stages of preparing to attack the United States. But the response is…nothing. The President takes no action, and the report goes basically unreported in the media. We’ve heard this story before. But this is not the infamous August, 2001 Presidential Daily Briefing entitled, “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.” This happened just over a week ago, when the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a scathing report about the mounting danger of a reconstituted al-Qaeda growing and plotting...
Four Ways to Partner with Pakistan
Four critically-needed changes to America's policy in Pakistan could help heal the relationship. Will we make them?
United Pakistan (May) Stand
It’s likely no one winner will emerge in Pakistan’s Monday elections – and that’s a good thing.
Scotland Yard Investigation Is Useless
Scotland Yard’s probe into Bhutto’s assassination failed to bring important answers – but it does raise important questions.
Kashmir for the Kashmiris
It’s high time India and Pakistan learned to share.
Pakistan’s Paradoxes
The three major paradoxes of Pakistan’s relationship with America.
A New Lens on Pakistan
A new study says Pakistanis want a larger role for both Islam and democracy. The U.S. must respect both.
Pakistan’s Wake-Up Call
Pakistan much acknowledge more openly that it can’t solve terrorism on its own.
Pakistani Terrorists Pose Little Threat
The West's singular focus on Pakistani terrorism ignores Pakistan's real problems, helps justify emergency rule, and prolongs dictatorship there.
Pakistan: Back to 'American' Ideals
Pakistan was founded on "American" ideals and freedoms: The U.S. must focus on those, and forget Musharraf, if it wants to avoid failure there. By Akbar Ahmed The images on TV of lawyers being thrashed in President Musharraf's Emergency are for me extremely disturbing and evidence of a serious breakdown of society. Pakistan was created by M.A. Jinnah, the quintessential lawyer. He created what in 1947 was the largest Muslim nation on earth within the confines of the law and without ever going to jail or engaging in violence of any kind. He founded the country on the basis...
Voice from House Arrest: Don't Let Pakistan Follow Burma
Pakistani police cut short my interview with Pakistan’s leading human rights lawyer, now under house arrest, but not before she warned the world not to let Pakistan follow in Burma’s footsteps.
Musharraf's Two-Faced Rule
Musharraf’s blind desire to remain in power aids the same Taliban extremists he claims to be fighting.
Déjà Vu: Musharraf and the Shah
The U.S. is making the same mistakes it made in Iran all over again in Pakistan: betting the farm on one man, Pervez Musharraf, with no Plan B.
The U.S.-Pakistan Tango
Newark, Delaware and Toronto -- Are U.S.-Pakistan relations undergoing a significant transformation?...
Bhutto Assassinated - Whither Pakistan?
After Benazir Bhutto's assassination on Thursday, what's next for Pakistan?...
Was It a Mistake to Partition India and Pakistan?
On the 6Oth anniversary of the creation of India and Pakistan, this question: Was partition of the country in 1947 a mistake?...
India-Pakistan
Panelist Shekhar Gupta from India and Ahmed Rashid from Pakistan discuss India-Pakistan relations, terrorism, and the road to peace....
Women: Beasts of Burden
Lahore, Pakistan - Blaring headlines announcing yet another 'honor' killing or rape victim detained while the perpetrator goes free show just how much Pakistani women are up against.
Muslim World Under Siege?
Islamabad, Pakistan -- In Pakistan, public sentiment is outraged by televised images of Lebanese civilians killed in Israeli raids. A headline in a major English-language daily reads: "Israel goes berserk". The Pakistan government has condemned the loss of life and property in Lebanon. And the country's many jihadi organizations will likely make hay, exploiting popular perceptions that the Muslim world is under siege....
To Help Pakistan, Fight Iran
The most important thing the West can do to help Pakistan and all other Muslim countries, themselves torn between battling and appeasing the jihadis, is to stand up to jihadi central: Iran.
An Israeli Perspective on Partition
In truth, a "successful" partition in 1947 would not have ended the conflict.
Judiciary Was So Wonderfully Compliant For So Long
Attributing Musharraf's demise merely to anti-Americanism is unfair to the Pakistani people, who are driven by a genuine democratic impulse. Pakistanis and Indians are critical of elected leaders, sometimes welcoming the discipline of authoritarian rule. But their patience always runs out, and Musharraf should have known he could not enjoy dictatorship forever.
India’s With Pakistan: Rich Must Fix This
While awareness and concern about the effects of climate change has increased dramatically in the past few months in India, there is no real support for what’s seen as a rich-driven agenda to reverse this. Committing to standards the developed world never committed to would harm India's growth.
Stick to Basics: Arab-Israeli Coexistence
Given his role in taking Britain into war in Iraq and Afghanistan, it will be a tough job for Tony Blair to play the role of a peacemaker in the Middle East. However, he should lose no time trying to mediate the current factional fighting between Hamas and Fatah. He can't do this himself, and will need to get the Arab states more involved.
The Most Uncompromising Kind of Imperialism
There is no reason for Muslims to take personal offense to this gesture, which has been given to a variety of personalities from many nations. The problem with Muslim fundamentalism is that it demands submission to its zealotry. By insisting that we yield to their "sensitivity," they seek to impose their values on nonbelievers.
Modernizing a Zealous, Feudal Pakistan
Dictators can pursue modernization, as in South Korean history, but they cannot ensure regime stability forever. Musharraf failed to use ample aid from the U.S. to develop Pakistan and fight poverty. Now he has no civilian power base to carry on these reforms when another general inevitably replaces him.
Last Fortress Against Military Dictatorship
Musharraf's attempt to bring the judiciary under control ahead of reelection has clearly backfired, and only inflamed his opposition. South Korea's experience with military dictatorship showed us that using force in the place of justice cannot be a long-term solution.
Promote Musharraf, Not Democracy
Seoul, South Korea - Musharraf can successfully prevent his country from further degenerating into a hotbed of extremism through economic development, not empty slogans of democracy. The U.S. and UK should strengthen their support of Pakistani President Musharraf instead of undercutting his authority at home by criticizing his record of democracy....
The Quiet German – No Evidence, No Injustice
No chief justice has ever been removed from office in Germany, and most Germans believe their judiciary is impartial. But is it? The German Parliament does not have the power to investigate, nor would any state prosecutor who cares about their career. An impartial system, or just a quiet one?
Bhutto Conspiracy Theories Will Thrive
The most astounding aspect of the assassination is her security detail’s negligence. Theories will abound as to why.
Sanction Pakistan?
Ahmed Rashid - What should the U.S. and NATO do about the allegations that there is a Taliban-al'Qaeda sanctuary in Pakistan? Are sanctions against Pakistan an option? I'm thinking through this issue. Join me....
