Bush Now Praises Musharraf: "Hasn't Crossed The Line" And "Believes In Democracy"

President Bush yesterday offered his strongest support of embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, saying the general "hasn't crossed the line" and "truly is somebody who believes in democracy."

Bush spoke nearly three weeks after Musharraf declared emergency rule, sacked members of the Supreme Court and began a roundup of journalists, lawyers and human rights activists. Musharraf's government yesterday released about 3,000 political prisoners, although 2,000 remain in custody, according to the Interior Ministry.

The comments, delivered in an interview with ABC News anchor Charles Gibson, contrasted with previous administration statements -- including by Bush himself -- expressing grave concern over Musharraf's actions. In his first public comments on the crisis two weeks ago, Bush said his aides bluntly warned Musharraf that his emergency measures "would undermine democracy."

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Comments

[ultomatt]

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator."
--President-Elect George W. Bush, CNN News, Aired December 18, 2000 - 12:00 p.m. ET

[hootie1fan]

One man's junta leader/dictator is another man's democracy supporter.

[esquire07]

Impeach. Hang.

[frybread]

This...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071121/ts_nm/afghanistan_taliban_report_dc;_ylt=At7widRPH_CrcMAdkT60Hct34T0D

...is what Bush would call winning the war on terror.

[ricangirl1805]

I looked into his eyes and know this to be true......­.LOL

[Mike169]

I wonder what the "line" is that Bush feels has to be "crossed" - illegal jaings, supression of the opposition, corruption, incompetence - oops I was thinking of the Bush administration!

[Mike169]

How the fuck would Bush know? He doesn't believe in democracy and wouldn't care for it if he did.

[Mike169]

Yahoo reports that the Taliban are close to surrounding Kabul. If they are successful then bin Laden can go back to Afghanistan and we won't need Pakistan any more. Another job well done by the most inept administration since James Buchanan!

[geobushono]

so when the taliban are finished with winning the hearts and minds, we'll have a REAL problem on our hands.

[studlyguy]

Bush did say the constitution is just a piece of paper and now the dollar is just another worthless piece of paper,dismantling america and destroyng america one step at a time ,i hate to break it to amricans but the real terrorist our sitting in the oval office otherwise known as the Bush regime

[Camarosc35]

That's okay, America will elect another Republican for president and you will have plenty more to complain about. The fact that polls (as questionable as they may well be) even have depicted a "CONTEST" in the race for the White House is surreal, in my opinion. The worst administration in US history, the majority of Americans opposed to the war, serious concerns about our fiscal solvency, the economic meltdown over the housing and credit crises, the health care conundrum, the belief of the majority of Americans that their children will be worse off than they are (a first for polling), yet, STILL, polls show that Giuliani would best Clinton in a general election matchup. Giuliani, who would not hesitate a whit to pull the trigger against Iran and bring about the consequences even our military command has warned about.

[LoRiseAntlers]

And the Congress still lets this idiotic criminal live in the White House.We'v­e witnessed his idea of democracy for almost seven years now.

[FogBelter]

Bush has no fallback position in Pakistan ... Musharraf is all he's got.

And he needs him.

[tiredoftheBS]

No surprise here. Finally, for those who care, G.W. Bush has clearly defined what he means by democracy. This cynical group thinks they can serve shit to the American people and call it pate. What do they take us for?

[fourex]

Bush is to democracy as Stalin is to elections.