We Need a Pakistan Policy

The international community is deeply concerned about the stability of Pakistan this week after General Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency on Saturday, suspending the country's constitution and cracking down on political opposition by arresting thousands of dissenters, journalists, and activists. The pictures and video coming out of the country paint a distressing portrait of a country in crisis.

I've been saying for some time that Pakistan is probably the most dangerous and complex country we deal with. If I were president today, I would be on the phone with Musharraf myself and make clear to him the risk to Pakistani-US relations if he does not restore the constitution, permit free and fair elections and take off his uniform as promised.

Unfortunately, I have heard nothing in my briefings from current administration officials to suggest that George Bush has any notion as to our next step in addressing this crisis. We have been told that this state of martial law will last only a few days, but let's not kid ourselves.

Going forward, we need to keep three things in mind:

First, we have a huge stake in making sure Pakistan's moderate majority has a voice and an outlet with elections. If they don't, they may make common cause with the fundamentalists, just like the Shah's opponents did in Iran. But if the fundamentalists wind up in power, it will be much worse than Iran, because Pakistan already has nuclear weapons and the missile delivery systems to put our allies and security interests in the region in harm's way.

Second, we should move from a Musharraf policy to a Pakistan policy. We need to build a new relationship with the Pakistani people, with more non-military aid, sustained over a long period of time, so that the moderate majority has a chance to succeed. I'm going to be speaking in detail to this on Thursday in New Hampshire at Saint Anselm College.

Third, connect the dots: Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan are all linked. Far from operating in a vacuum, what we do in one place profoundly affects the others. For example, because we shifted our resources away from Afghanistan to Iraq, Musharraf concluded the Taliban would rebound and he would be better off cutting a deal with them. Now, we're so tied down in Iraq we can't take the pressure off him in Afghanistan. And all this talk of war with Iran only makes it harder for moderates in Pakistan and Afghanistan to cooperate with us.

We are in a very tough spot, and our policy options have been limited by this administration's refusal to accept the complexity of our situation in the Middle East. While the burden is on Musharraf today to restore Pakistan's constitution, we must also act and bring this war in Iraq to a responsible conclusion. It is the only way to restore our place in the world and regain our ability to respond to the many challenges we face as a nation here at home and abroad.

Comments

[zenhead]

Biden is right. Pakistan represents the worst possible scenario for much greater tension and danger so far as the Muslim world is concerned. A nuclear armed & dangerous Pakistan, which is very possible, will be a Sunni nuclear armed Pakistan. That could put a greater edge to the Iranian movement to develop nuclear power.
The Shi'i world understands it's been the object of attack, discrimination and denigration for 13 centuries. The fact is that the Shi'i world is now more confident in itself and it's armed proxies. Key among those is Hizbullah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Quds Force. Hizbullah demonstrated it won't go down without a serious fight.
Pakistan could do severe damage to our forces in Afghanistan by simply walking away from any focused or realistic coverage of their common border areas. And, perhaps worst: Islamist oriented military and intelligence officials can give professional training for al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
For Bush, if Musharraf refuses to take off his uniform this month, cracks down on pro-democracy forces inside Pakistan, and doesn't hold elections in January, there sooner or later has to be a moment of truth. He can hardly blast Iran for it's positions when Pakistan decompensates into a repressive dictatorship.
It will also be insane to attack Iran in the light of a possible meltdown in and with Pakistan. Amazing. The Democrats have a greater chance of finding a new way into this labyrinth. I hope that Biden is named as Secretary of State for one of the leading candidates. He has no chance in hell for the nomination. But, he cetainly deserves a place of influence outside of the Senate.

[drdavidovich]

Senator Biden is by far the BEST person to be President right now for our country. Why doesn't America see this? I wish I had more money to send him. I sure hope everyone who agrees with me here skips a few lattes this week and sends him 25 bucks(or more) via his website. Sadly, that is the only thing keeping him from being a front runner, money. Now that really is a sad commentary on our system.

[Bigden47]

Let's see if I got this right.
(1) The president suspends the constitution

(2) Those who disagree are rounded up and jailed

(3) Citizens are under surveillance so as to identify those who might speak out

(4) The world community is outraged and urges that free and fair elections be held

The country we're talking about is Pakistan, right? Just trying to get my facts straight.

[jsarets]

I agree with the Senator, but while we're connecting the dots, it would be intellectually dishonest to remove Saudi Arabia from the equation. I know, it's taboo to even talk about the Saudis, since they export slightly more oil than they do al-Qaeda terrorists. But they are the linchpin of this whole problem.

Without the Saudis, there would be no bin Laden, no 9/11, no terror camps in Afghanistan, no wide-scale extremist problem in Pakistan, and no pressure on Arab and Persian Shiites to engage in sectarian warfare in Iraq.

The deal is that we provide security and support for the corrupt monarchy in exchange for favorable terms on petroleum trade. Saudi Arabia is approaching levels of economic inequality and age distribution that make civil war nearly inevitable. America cannot continue to prop up their government unless they enact reforms that quell the impending uprising.

So, Senator Biden, will you also get King Abdullah on the horn and talk about maybe doing something about the rampant extremism amongst the young males in his nation?

[gateley]

Quite simply, we need this man in these times.

[vippy]

Bush is not hard on Musharef because he needs him and not Bhutto. Bhutto is not in the camp of the USA and neither are the people. Musharef
is being paid by the US, ergo he has to dance
to our song. Suspended the constitution in Pakistan, may I ask how long has ours been suspended now? As the Chinese say, they don't want to learn from the failed democracy in the West. Let us impeach Bush and Cheney and then I will believe what our congress/senate is saying. Seems like they talk one thing and do another, e.g. Feinstein and Schumer alone this week.

[mikegoodyearaz85338]

"If I were president today, I would be on the phone with Musharraf myself and make clear to him the risk to Pakistani-US relations if he does not restore the constitution, permit free and fair elections and take off his uniform as promised."

First let me commend you for actually discussing something of real importance. That is rare for this site.

Second, "What would you do if the talks don't work?" seems to be the money question to me.

I agree we are in a tough spot so give us some tough answers. Will you allow a nuclear armed Iran to exist or a the Pakistan nuclear arsenal to be contolled by terrorists? A yes or no answer is all I ask.

[thinkbig]

You said it!

[marika]

The capacity of the US to intervene almost everywhere is the world is fast diminishing, much less to issue orders. Do people in Washington think it is business as usual?
The price of oil is skyrocketing, look at the futures, the dollar is plummeting and these so called "debates" line up candidates like school children to deliver sound bites. Tim Russert lacked only a ruler to whack knuckles for an infantile "comedie de moeurs."
Bob Dylan's song "The times they are a chang'in" is made for today and we plod on in yesterday. If the Democrats continue to hold hands with Bush out behind the schoolhouse the winter will be long and cold.

[CountryBeforeParty]

With this new emergency upon us I have been hearing plans and possible solutions from Senator Biden, Senator Dodd, Governor Richardson, and Congressman Kucinich, and I have heard virtually nothing from Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and Mister Edwards.

Will someone please explain to me why the current polls have the wrong candidates leading the way?

[3rdCitizen]

The most sensible presidential candidate on foreign policy (Democrat or Republican) is Joe Biden. The most sensible presidential candidate on health care reform is John Edwards. And yet, both are long shots at best. I guess the best that we can hope for is that President Clinton chooses Biden for Secretary of State and Edwards to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

[2LaneIA]

Biden followed up with Musharraf today. Somebody needs to. His office sent this out:

"Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement today after speaking by phone with Pakistan's President Pervaiz Musharraf: "We had a very frank and detailed discussion. I told President Musharraf how critical it is for relations between our two countries that elections go forward as planned in January, that he follow through on his commitment to take off his uniform and that he restore the rule of law to Pakistan. It is clear to me from our conversation that President Musharraf understands the consequences for his country and for relations with the United States if he does not return Pakistan to the path of democracy."

After speaking with President Musharraf, Sen. Biden then spoke with Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte to brief him on the conversation."

The President was riding his mountain bike and could not be reached for comment. No, wait. I made that part up.

[lgillooly]

It is sad to read such a logical,intelligent perspective concerning the Middle East and know that it will fall on deaf ears in the White House. The situation is about to explode over there and the world cannot wait.Please support Impeachment and stop any further Wars.It seems as though the only way to stop any further damage is to take this step NOW!!

[wingnutslayer]

As usual, Joe Biden talks sense while everyone else acts like they're in a beauty contest. Well, Chris Dodd gets it too. America has long ago gone the big style, little substance route and the ones who just see things as they are, report what they see, and offer substantial solutions, just don't have enough flash to attract the celebrity crazed news media's attention. As a neighboring Marylander, I recognize Joe Biden of Delaware as someone that revives what stirrings of pride I used to have for my country that used to be, back in the last millenium. Dodd too. And Barbara Mikulski, the little giant of Maryland.

[Bocababs]

Senator Biden....

I have been talking you up for months now. You should be more ahead in the polls than you are at this time.