Biden Warns Pakistan on Elections

LAHORE, Pakistan — Sen. Joseph Biden urged Pakistani authorities to ensure that Monday's parliamentary elections are free and fair, warning that the country could face greater instability if the vote is rigged.

"Without an open election that gains the confidence of the vast majority of the middle class here there will be great turmoil," Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in Lahore on Sunday.

Biden, along with Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., will observe the polling Monday and meet political leaders in Lahore, the hub of Pakistani politics.

Pakistanis will choose a new parliament in the elections, which were delayed six weeks after former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on Dec. 27. The elections could determine the political survival of President Pervez Musharraf, who is America's key ally in the war on terror.

Biden, D-Del., said a more democratic government would help Pakistan combat spreading Islamic extremism and suggested Washington should reduce its reliance on Musharraf. The Bush administration has promoted Musharraf as a moderate leader capable of holding together the nuclear-armed country.

"I do not buy into the argument that the only person who has the capacity to help in dealing with terrorism is Musharraf," Biden said.

He said the United States should cut military aid to Pakistan if the elections are rigged. But if it turns out to be credible, the U.S. should reward Pakistan with a "democracy dividend" that triples its economic aid to the Asian country to $1.5 billion, he said.

Biden said he was "mildly optimistic" that the vote will be fair. However, he said the Pakistani military "has to know there is a price to pay for failure to support democratic institutions."

The U.S. delegation is scheduled to travel to Afghanistan and India after Pakistan.

Comments

[happytrails]

And who came to the defense of the US Constitution when the votes in the 2000 and 2004 elections were rigged? It certainly was not the Democratic Party. Nor have they come to the defense of the Constitution from the assaults by the thugs now running this country.

It is so much easier to pretend that we care about democracy in other countries.

Empty words, empty words.

[dryfactoidobotanoid]

"And who came to the defense of the US Constitution when the votes in the 2000 and 2004 elections were rigged?"

the congressional black caucus, for one.

and Greg Palast.

not Al Gore. not the mass media.

[JackTar]

What? Treat Musharraf like a dictator? Don't you know he's a positive, freedom-loving force in Pakistan's transition to real democracy? The fact the he jails or kills his opponents to stay forever in office, like Castro, is an absurd analogy.
Why? Castro doesn't have the bomb.

[Bendersky]

I know it's been stated already, but, uhm, Joe? What are we going to do about rigged elections in OUR OWN COUNTRY? Obama got zero votes in 80 NY districts? Just a computer glitch, eh?

Mr. Conyers, anytime you feel like investigating these voting machines, please go ahead, otherwise they're going to hand this thing to McCain on a platter.

[LizM]

This thing may very well go to McCain...and it will have nothing whatsoever to do with voting machines or rigged elections...if ya catch my drift!

[Trittydi]

I'm glad someone is keeping their eye on the ball.

*

[bIgTeX]

Biden wants the VP job under Obama.. and I say give it to him.. cause he rawks!!

[LizM]

I say that's the only way Obama gets past the nomination process and into the oval office.

Of course, Biden will be able to set certain criteria that must be met before he would agree to give up the chairmanship of the Foreign Relations Committee.­..assuming the Democrats hold on to the Senate...a big assumption, if you ask me...

In any event, Senator Biden will presumably want full reign over the Iraq file since he is the only one who knows what to do with it...notwi­thstanding whoever gets tapped for SOS. Of course, SOS would be the obvious position to hand over to Biden but that may not get Obama elected.

[CindyKay]

Well , It seems that Edwards may be trying to buy His way into the VP position with His Delegates.
I Hope Barack ( If Nominated ) Chooses Biden Not Edwards. Edwards should be Choosen for AG instead.
I Like Biden , But I do not see Biden joining up with Clinton . He would most likely take a back seat to Bill & I do not see Biden doing that.

[rickroberts]

As this rises in the news, especially if there is violence, voters will be reminded why they initially trusted Senator Clinton over Senator Obama.

[CindyKay]

Trust & Clinton in the same Sentence? LMFAO!!!

[DMSmith]

Let's worry about OUR rigged elections first.

W was never elected. Period.

Clean house here first.

[LizM]

Perhaps you should have been protesting in the streets when your elections were first rigged.

[dryfactoidobotanoid]

isn't that what lawyers are for?

[ImmanuelGoldstein]

Street protest don't accomplish anything anymore. Both Iraq wars witnessed some of the biggest street protests since the 60's and to what affect?

In fact I increasingly question the whole meme that the 60's protests were all that effective either. It took 10 years of protests to 'end' Vietnam and we only left after we got a peace treaty not unilaterally.

[LizM]

Are there any of you here who are capable of taking a break from your own navel gazing to take a serious look at what's happening in the world?

Do any of you ever ask yourselves why America is hated by its enemies...and hated by its friends with a passion? Or do any of you even care?

Y'all need to seriously get a grip...and fast!

[suki21693]

What say US citizens cut off the aid we are provding to our own country if free and fair elections aren't held here?

What say we let the Pakistani people deal with their own issues for once? If we were minding our own business, maybe we would have some time to mind our business.

[Scytherius]

Oh that's just funny. Can we cut our own aid?

[loki]

I was going to post that!!

[billysviez]

Yes, bush and the rethugs already have. just look at Our Debt.

[dryfactoidobotanoid]

oh, I get it. because our own elections are rigged. just look at New Hampshire and Harlem.

ha. ha.

[lisakaz]

Good try, Senator Biden, but did it ever occur to you that Bu$hco wants the elections rigged? Mushy is appropriatign his masters' playbook.

[Ping]

Hey Lisa, Mushy came to power during Clinton's administration. Mushy is a Clinton man. Read Wiki first then open mouth.

[Wulfstan]

The pot calls the kettle black.

[Danny]

Senator Biden -- can we start by having free and fair elections here? Then we will have credibility elsewhere. Paper ballots, counted by hand, and NO MACHINES.

[YankeeCanuck]

Biden has, for many years fought for election reform including limits on campaign funding and spending. He was among the first to note the problems of the electronic voting machines.

[CindyKay]

Danny doesn't know much about Joe

[stubbhead]

We should cut off their aid regardless of thier election outcome. It amazes me that we provide foreign and military aid to others while running an economy and "war on terra" on credit cards.

[Ides]

Simple solution: Ask the United Nations to oversee the elections.