2008 Woodie Awards
True democracy needed
By Ted Trevorrow
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Op-Ed
A few weeks ago, the Bush administration was dealt a serious blow to its foreign policy and its War on Terror. Pakistan finally held free parliamentary elections that were won by the parties opposing President Pervez Musharraf. Despite the president's positive words about elections taking place, this is a severe setback for his administration, which had backed Musharraf's party for years and promised billions in funding to Pakistan. Now it seems that Bush's long forged friendship with Musharraf has backfired.
As opposition party members take power, they are sure to force a standoff with Musharraf and may even try and impeach him. At the very least, they will create a power struggle between Musharraf and the Parliament. Parliament leaders also seem to indicate they will be less willing to cooperate with United States efforts to combat terrorism in Pakistan and its surrounding borders. The fall of Musharraf was predictable by many and similar in nature to Leaders of Developing Nations.
More than that, Musharraf was another failed example of hypocritical American Policy. While President Bush applauds elections taking place, the truth is the longest standing opposition to election in Pakistan was Musharraf himself. Besides the turmoil that came about late last year when he suspended the country's constitution, Musharraf is the former general in charge of the country's military and came to power because of his control over the armed forces. While many great leaders of many nations, including the U.S., have been former military leaders, Musharraf was still the general in charge of the nation's army when he assumed power as the president.
Although a president is considered commander-in-chief, it is a long held belief that he should not "wear the uniform," as the saying goes. Too often men who wield a general power while acting as leader of a nation feel compelled to use the military's power to get their political points across to other political leaders. This is exactly what happened in Pakistan.
As opposition party members take power, they are sure to force a standoff with Musharraf and may even try and impeach him. At the very least, they will create a power struggle between Musharraf and the Parliament. Parliament leaders also seem to indicate they will be less willing to cooperate with United States efforts to combat terrorism in Pakistan and its surrounding borders. The fall of Musharraf was predictable by many and similar in nature to Leaders of Developing Nations.
More than that, Musharraf was another failed example of hypocritical American Policy. While President Bush applauds elections taking place, the truth is the longest standing opposition to election in Pakistan was Musharraf himself. Besides the turmoil that came about late last year when he suspended the country's constitution, Musharraf is the former general in charge of the country's military and came to power because of his control over the armed forces. While many great leaders of many nations, including the U.S., have been former military leaders, Musharraf was still the general in charge of the nation's army when he assumed power as the president.
Although a president is considered commander-in-chief, it is a long held belief that he should not "wear the uniform," as the saying goes. Too often men who wield a general power while acting as leader of a nation feel compelled to use the military's power to get their political points across to other political leaders. This is exactly what happened in Pakistan.
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