The Hope for Democracy

Benazir Bhutto, 54, educated at Harvard and Oxford universities, served twice as Pakistan's prime minister between 1988 and 1996. Her assassination left a huge political vacuum in the only Moslem nuclear-armed state, which appears to be facing violence and Islamic extremism. She seemed to be the only answer to rising extremisms in Pakistan that is also feeding into Afghanistan.

The political earthquake caused by her assassination will yield considerable outcomes in the region. She was the only hope for democracy, and the US and UK believed they could exert pressure on Musharraf thorough her. The Bush administration hoped that Bhutto would be elected prime minister and in collaboration with Musharraf accelerate the democratic reforms and take control of the hazardous tribal belt bordering Afghanistan. She accused Musharraf of not tackling the extremism seriously. Islamic militants linked to al Qaida and the Taliban hated Bhutto for her close ties to the Americans and support for the war on terrorism. She was known as a pro-western secular leader, so she was repeatedly threatened to death by the extremists upon her return to Pakistan in October.

Though she was against extremism and had publicly taken on the Taliban extremists, it was during her ruling that the Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) helped the Taliban to take control of Afghanistan. Nasrolah Babor, the Interior Minister at the time she was Prime Minister, designed and helped the Taliban in 1990s.

Her death has aggravated the problem of spreading extremism across the country and will destabilize the region, affecting the neighboring countries of Afghanistan, Iran and India. Meanwhile Musharraf seems unable to control the spread of extremism because the Pakistani high officials do not follow him. Some divisions among high ranking Pakistanis and ISI officers are in favor of fueling insurgency through the Pakistani Taliban and they have close ties with this group since their emergence. The situation is very complicated by now and there are three important issues to be considered: first it is a big blow on the process of democracy in Pakistan. Second the recent events have created a drastic challenge for Pakistan government and this will exacerbate the crisis. And finally, rising extremism in Pakistan is threatening the region. Not focusing on rooting out extremism from the tribal belt of Pakistan is endangering the stability in the region.

It has been quite some time since scholars like Barnett Rubin have cried out that the US should focus the center of its efforts in Pakistan. The root cause of insecurity in Afghanistan and in the region lies in Pakistan and we have witnessed the spread of extremisms from tribal belt in North Pakistan to all parts of the country. The unfortunate news for Afghanistan is that any insurgency in the region will reverse all that has been done in Afghanistan.

Comments

[shedances]

Dear Homa ~

Thank you for admirably addressing several serious points related to Pakistan, violence in this region in general, and leadership issues. I wanted to add, that it bears repeating that ~ unlike the U.S. ~ Pakistan has a parliamentary democracy, which means that, even if Musharraf remains in power for the next five years, the Jan. election is for the parliament and prime minister. Since he has retired now from his army post (under what some have argued was strong U.S. pressure...), the new prime minister would have most of the power in a civilian-type government (& not the president).

In recent weeks, it appeared that a great many around the world had hoped it would be the well-educated, influential Mrs. Bhutto & her supporters. Far less numbers have been hoping that Sharif once again regains power. But, it's important to remember that a relatively weak new Prime Minister could end up simply being a pawn in a game of power concerning the provinces & the United States. Certainly, Benazir Bhutto was a strong & determined voice for change there ... but, one which has unfortunately been silenced.

Kelli

[Boobaloo]

I think you're wrong Homa.

I dont think Bhuttos death is going to destabilize the region, I think Americas continued presence in neighbouring Afghanistan & in Iraq & continued threats by America & Israel against Iran -- these will continue to harm the region.

The truth is Bhutto did not have the support of the Pakistani people; she was chased out of pakistan due to corruption charges and her father was a wealthy land owner who treated his staff like chattel. Her family is widely loathed, no matter how many pictures the media shows us of people mourning her, most of Pakistan did not support Bhutto.

[duggie]

As I remember, Osama bin Laden stated, once the USSR was out of Afghanistan, that he had two goals. 1. Get the U.S. out of Muslim countries and 2. Topple secular governments in Muslim countries and replace them with theocracies to form an Islamic Empire. I don't think the West/Christendom is the main target. 9/11 was a spectacular sideshow directed at causing a befuddled waste of US efforts in the Muslim world. As a bonus, we have managed to screw up in several secular Muslim countries - saving Jihadists a lot of work. I mean, if the enemy TELLS YOU WHAT HE"S GOING TO DO and you still don't get it.....

Hope for Democracy in the Muslim World? You've got to be kidding!!

[MagisterLudi]

I absolutely agree with you Ms.Sorouri. In this difficult time, Americans and Europeans should put away their ideological differences and support Pres. Musharraf or whoever gets elected, to stabilize the country, build better infrastructure, more secular schools and technical colleges and start phasing out the Saudi sponsored madrasas. A better mechanisms need to be created to make sure the international funds don't get diverted or frankly, embezzled.
Of course, without protection from Al Qaeda and other extremists none of this will bear fruit.
It is time P-stani army takes a stand on which side they're on.
The many officers who are defending Al Qaeda and Taliban and feeding them classified data must be asked to retire and/or lose their security clearances.
After all, without sincere effort on the part of P-stani army leadership all reforms will be doomed.
And, the border with A-stan must be taken back from radicals.

[avicenna]

I think among the biggest open secrets - and misconceptions that seems to prevade shallow analysis of U.S. interests in Pakistan and the Mid-East is the idea that Bhutto was someone that advocated American interests or that she was someone the Bush administration would have liked to see in power. Since her return to Pakistan, she has openly criticized and questioned the US's real desire for "democracy" around the world - citing the way the bludgeoned Iraq is hardly a stepping stone to such an ideal for the betterment of the Iraqi people. She also mentioned that one should never trust anyone who supports a military dictator (her reference to the backing of the Bush administration of Musharref). She was a liability to both the US agenda as well as Musharref and her death is raising more questions then answers with the contradictory reports of cause of death and the too easy pointing of the finger to the ever-handy "al Queda". I would think they would be jumping up and down from the get-go taking pleasure in claiming culpability - but the silence on that front is only broken by the too quick claims by Bush and Musharref of a "key Al Queada operative" being the one at the end of another world tragedy.

[Mack20]

Amid all the carnage and confusion there has to be something positive from all this. You won’t get uplifting words from the previous commenters with names like darker, Tellmethetruth (as if he/she can’t believe anyone else), insanity and researcher.

All I can hope is Prime Minister Bhutto’s death won’t be in vein. Hopefully it will be a beacon, a martyred death that will put pressure on the Islamic Fundamentalists and expose their hate and desire to control the populace. Democracy is the number one enemy of the Islamo-Facsists. Someone will emerge to replace Bhutto.

[memerider]

It's a sad day for democracy with the loss of Bhutto. I agree with insanityfollows, that we didn't do the job in Afganistan. Evil as he was, Saddam was a stabilizing force in the region. The U.S. forgets we have our own ideological extremists here who would jump at the chance to control our government (and are sucking up every faith-based and school voucher dollar they can grab as they spread their brainwash). Government is a precarious balancing act at best.

[researcher]

why is it that amerians believe that democracy is first of all possible in these countries of unrest and most of all why do americans think democracy solves all the ills of society.

iraq will break the bank in america or should I say break the american credit card.

americans are the most naive people on earth when it comes to world affairs.

the cry from america to implement democracy in the world is nothing more than a lie to have wars for profits.

naive americans cannot see the difference.

please note none of the frontrunners both demo and repub will not touch the industrial military complex or the military budget.

in fact the repubs want to increase both.

if there is worst scum and evil on this earth than war mongering repubs and their followers I have not found them.

bush found his evil empire he looked in the mirror.

[insanityfollows]

Has there been progress in Afghanistan? It is the largest narco-state in the world, and the Taliban is resurgent. I agree that Pakistan in trouble destabilizes the whole region, but let's not lie about Afghanistan. We did not do the job needed there, and it is as big a mess as the rest of the world.

[Tellmethetruth]

Joe Biden on Pakistan

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-biden/a-new-approach-to-pakista_b_71733.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-biden/we-need-a-pakistan-policy_b_71399.html

Joe Biden on CIA tapes

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-biden/special-counsel-needed-to_b_77692.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/12/10/biden-calls-for-special-c_n_76044.html

Joe Biden on Iran and Impeachment of Bush

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-biden/meeting-the-iranian-chall_b_75628.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/30/biden-to-bush-bomb-iran-_n_74778.html

[darker]

Hope for democracy in Middle East, Pakistan and USA is DOWN THE TOILET with Bush-Cheney "corporate big oil" in charge. They want YOUR MONEY at any cost and profiteering for the disaster & war industry corporate welfare queen pals.