US Urges Pakistan To Keep Musharraf Despite Massive Election Defeat

McClatchy:

The Bush administration is pressing the opposition leaders who defeated Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to allow the former general to retain his position, a move that Western diplomats and U.S. officials say could trigger the very turmoil the United States seeks to avoid.

U.S. officials, from President Bush on down, said this week that they think Musharraf, a longtime U.S. ally, should continue to play a role, despite his party's rout in parliamentary elections Monday and his unpopularity in the volatile, nuclear-armed nation.

The U.S. is urging the Pakistani political leaders who won the elections to form a new government quickly and not press to reinstate the judges whom Musharraf ousted last year, Western diplomats and U.S. officials said Wednesday. If reinstated, the jurists likely would try to remove Musharraf from office.

Read the whole story: McClatchy

Comments

[GnitenGoodLk]

This should scare the living hell out of us all. That Bush is squashing democracy like this. Speaks very ominously for our country. This administration is a global and domestic menace. Impeachment is imperative.

Puts a whole new light on the Bhutto assassination doesn't it?

[getoffmedz]

Typical Bush/Cheney reaction. Fuck elections, fuck the will of the people just do what we want.

And y'all voted for them, TWICE!

[Zuni]

I think that the Bush administration also suggested that after our election in November, we ask the winner to let George Bush remain President.

[wotcanisay]

US urges Pakistan to retain Mush?

If Pakistan is a democracy, should not the will of the people prevail/

What US urges should be dismissed as what it really is - BS!

[konchster]

Bush democracy is a myth the man is a fascist pig

[iPolitics]

Democracy! That's why all our American heroes died in Iraq, right?

[Rys4k]

It amazes me at times how much lip service we pay to democracy, except of course when the citizens of a sovereign nation aren't "smart" enough to vote for the candidate we'd prefer.

How about we allow Pakistan, and the Pakistani people to decide what is best for their nation?

I have no trouble with the US offering advise, but when they start turning the screws and threatening to withdraw support, it becomes offensive.

Cheers - Rys