Rolling The Tape On Pakistan: Candidates Can't Hide Their Records

The assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto forces presidential candidates campaigning in Iowa to talk up their foreign policy credentials. But they can't escape from their past statements on how best to deal with ruler Pervez Musharraf and Al Qaeda. For the most part, the candidates support Musharraf's role in the global war on terror, but differ on how to advance Pakistan on its shaky road to democracy. In recent months, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee caused controversy by suggesting the U.S. should target Al Qaeda sites within Pakistan. Joe Biden and John Edwards urged the U.S. to pressure Pakistan toward free elections. Hillary Clinton dismissed the current policy as "incoherent."

Here's what the candidates said in the months leading up to the assassination:

Senator Joseph Biden, the chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, said Friday that he had twice spoken to Musharraf about Bhutto's security detail and, along with Senators Patrick Leahy and Joe Lieberman, sent him a letter with detailed security suggestions on October 24.

After martial law was declared by Musharraf, Biden called on the General to hold elections, set up an independent commission that would ensure that the elections were fair and reach a power-sharing deal with Bhutto. "If that didn't work out... I'd cut off support," he said. Biden theorized that Musharraf declared the emergency because ''we convinced him we had a buddy here that no administration was going to walk away from.''

Senator Hillary Clinton proposed "redoubling our efforts with Pakistan" in the November/December issue of Foreign Affairs. "We cannot succeed unless we design a strategy that treats the entire region as an interconnected whole," she wrote.

After Barack Obama suggested last summer that the United States attack Al Qaeda targets within Pakistan's borders, Clinton spoke out against the idea.
"It is a very big mistake to telegraph that and to destabilize the Musharraf regime, which is fighting for its life against the Islamic extremists who are in bed with Al Qaeda and Taliban," she said.

In January, Clinton visited Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of a congressional delegation and met with Musharraf in Lahore. Clinton suggested to the Bush Administration that they send a presidential envoy to Pakistan to negotiate how to handle the Afghanistan border. According to Clinton, the current administration "has rendered our policy toward Pakistan fundamentally incoherent."

In the wake of Bhutto's assassination, Senator Christopher Dodd called on Pakistan to postpone the January elections, saying that Bhutto "had no natural successor."

"The election would not mean much at all at this juncture," said Dodd.

Dodd offered measured support to Musharraf this fall. "While General Musharraf is no Thomas Jefferson he may be the only thing that stands between us and having an Islamic fundamentalist state in that country ... if this United States are going to build relationships around the world we are going to have to do so with allies, in some cases from allies that we don't particularly like."
Speaking about Pakistan in November, John Edwards noted the influence the United States had with the Pakistani government. "And I think we should use that leverage to push Musharraf toward open free elections; toward more democratic reform, to more transparency in the way both the government operates and the economy operates," he said.

Edwards also detailed what he believed should be the four goals of the United States policy towards Pakistan. "One is to make sure that the extremists in northwest Pakistan are under control. Second, that we provide support for the democratic reformers," he said at November's Democratic debate in Las Vegas. "Third is... to make sure these elections take place in January. And fourth, we need to make certain that the nuclear weapons are under control."

Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani criticized Bush's handling of the Iraq war and the United States' relationship with Pakistan's president in particular in July. ''Did we not put enough pressure on Musharraf as we should have to clean up the Taliban and Al Qaeda?'' Giuliani asked in an interview with the New York Times. ''I think that is more a political judgment or a political mistake or a diplomatic mistake.''

''I think the goal has to be, we have to destroy Al Qaeda and the Taliban,'' he said. ''If the best way to do that is to push the Pakistan government to do that, then fine. If we have to do a little bit more, fine. The president has to make that determination. That is a delicate balance.''
Earlier this month, Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee published an article in Foreign Affairs calling the Bush administration's policy towards Pakistan was a "waste" and a "setback."
"Our failure to tackle al Qaeda in Pakistan seems to be leading inexorably to its attacking us again," wrote Huckabee. He detailed his Pakistan strategy later in the article, writing "Rather than wait for the next strike, I prefer to cut to the chase by going after al Qaeda's safe havens in Pakistan. As commander in chief, the U.S. president must balance threats and risks in calculating how best to protect the American people. We are living on borrowed time. The threat of an attack on us is far graver than the risk that a quick and limited strike against al Qaeda would bring extremists to power in Pakistan."

Senator John McCain spoke to Fox News after the state of emergency was declared. He offered his support of both Musharraf and the continuation of American funding. "Pakistan is a nuclear state, it was a failed state before [Musharraf] took power, he said. "It is in America's interest not to see Pakistan evolve into a radical Islamic state." McCain also said he would send envoys to Pakistan to negotiate between the Pakistani government and the United States, naming former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft as potential envoys.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday a week later, McCain stressed his experiences and familiarity Pakistan. "I know Musharraf. I met with him on numerous occasions," said McCain. "I know the area. I've been to Waziristan. I know these issues. I know how to handle them." McCain also reiterated that Pakistan was a failed state under Bhutto. "Pakistan was a failed state. It was a failed state under Benazir Bhutto," he said. "Her husband was convicted of corruption. Musharraf came to power to replace a failed state."

After the state of emergency was declared in Pakistan, Senator Barack Obama released the following statement: "The United States must be clear and unequivocal: President Musharraf should reverse this declaration, respect the decision of the Supreme Court, and hold free and fair elections for parliament in January. At the same time, the United States must move beyond the Administration's failed policies of promoting stability over democracy, which has undercut our efforts to root out terrorists in Pakistan."

Obama drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans last summer when he said the United States should attack Al Qaeda targets inside of Pakistan regardless of whether or not it had the approval of the Pakistani government. "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will," Obama said.

At November's Democratic Debate in Las Vegas in November, Obama was asked whether human rights were more important than national security . "The two are not mutually exclusive," he replied.

In a November 11 column on his House of Representatives website, Representative Ron Paul stressed that he was philosophically opposed to foreign aid. "Entangling alliances with no one means no foreign aid to Pakistan, or Egypt, or Israel, or anyone else for that matter. If an American citizen determines a foreign country or cause is worthy of their money, let them send it, and encourage their neighbors to send money too," he wrote, "but our government has no authority to use hard-earned American taxpayer dollars to mire us in these nightmarishly complicated, no-win entangling alliances."

Yesterday, former Governor Bill Richardson called for Musharraf to step down and for the United States to suspend all non-terrorism related military aid to Pakistan until the resignation takes place.

When Richardson spoke about the future of the region on Fox News Sunday on November 11, he offered measured support and concern about the Pakistani administration. "I am extremely concerned that we are associating ourselves with a dictatorship that is basically just revamping the entire constitutional system to keep its purposes of being in power," said Richardson. Richardson also said he would support continuing military aid to Pakistan if, among other things, it committed to free elections and Musharraf agreed to share power.

In November, former Governor Mitt Romney said the United States should not cut aid to Pakistan."The Pakistani military is working with us in key ways in Afghanistan and I would not end that effort," Romney said. "That's something critical to us."

Speaking of Musharraf's motives, Romney said: "I think he's looking to try and stabilize the country to bring more security, and to build greater support for his own leadership. I think it will tend to do the opposite," Romney said. "I do not believe that by abandoning democratic principles you're going to strengthen the democratic underpinnings of a nation."

Appearing on Meet the Press shortly after Musharraf declared emergency rule, former Senator Fred Thompson described Musharraf as "an ally in, in a, in a very sparsely populated place as far as allies are concerned. There're not many of them in that part of the world. Even parts of his own government do not have our interests at heart. There are radical Muslim elements there. There are terrorist elements there that are trying to, to apparently get control of the government. I do not know exactly what Musharraf sees or thinks he sees to cause him to do what he has done, but we need to understand that this is a nuclear country."

Thompson also said that American aid to Pakistan should not be suspended in light of the emergency. "We have to make sure that whatever happens that we do not see total instability in that country in, in that government and we do not see a takeover by a radical Muslim elements or terrorist sympathizers."

Read more reactions from HuffPost bloggers on Benazir Bhutto's assassination

Comments

[Pdubya]

Way to speak the truth to politics Ron Paul....you are an inspiration.

political correctness is tyranny with manners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK3cH061iz4

[Purple Girl]

I'M AFRAID ...VERY AFRAID!
These candidates still don't seem to get it or are instrumental in the continuation of the crisis in the Middle East.
Instead of sacrificing our blood & treasure. Let's sacrific the oil from the middle east.
Hold those entities who have contributed to the unrest which has escalated over the last 4 decades responsible for their plunder. Our 'enemies' only hate the industries and corporations who have hidden behind our flag and the actions they have taken against theri citizens, resources and freedoms.
And frankly if these 'fundementalist' want US out of their region -so be it. Let those industries who have ignited this firestorm figure out how to save their own skins.
We built those companies- we can dismantle them too. then perhaps the world will see WE are Who we say we are. A Free Democracy.
We have sacrificed so much for their benefit- we can afford to sacrific more for ourselves,our children and the worlds benefit.
The quest for the control of the oil has not only contaminated Politics but also Religion. Hiding behind flags and 'Holy' texts.
However it is only as valuable as the group deems it to be.In reality the only elements with value are water, air and earth. the rest are bobbles.

[letsmakesense]

Interesting that this story does not even mention two candidates, Kucinich and Dr.Paul.
What happened to the anti war movement?

[whimsicalpig]

Biden is the only candidate, from either party, that has been speaking about Pakistan all along.

When every other candidate was ranting about Iran, Biden was effectively saying that our main concern was stability in Pakistan.

He has had his finger on the important issues from the beginning.

If the main stream media is worth its salt they will begin covering this man as he is our best hope.

As Democrats, it is imperative that we don't offer up hillary or obama, the republicans will slaughter them.

If you honestly observe the situation, you can imagine what a republican smear attack on either hillary or obama would be like.

Imagine a full year of slick willy and monica attack ads.

Remember, the rest of the world is watching us to see if we can correct the horrible mistake that has occupid the white house for the past 7 years.

If we offer up hillary, we are, in fact, saying we want more of the same and are willing to let international corporations decide what is best for us and the world.

If we offer up Obama, we are saying that we are impetuous and willing to gamble the security of the world on the untested wisdom of a neophyte.

If we offer up a republican we are saying that America has totally lost its way and is caught up in a frenzy of selfrighteous fascism.

It comes down to Biden or perhaps Dodd. they will send a message to the world that we have shaken off the fever of religeous fanaticism, corporate greed and military imperialism.

The world will offer a sigh of relief.

[Tellmethetruth]

For those who want to read more of what Joe Biden has written on Huffington Post in the past few months. It is worth taking the time to be informed on how prophetic Biden was. Biden also drafted a letter in October to Mushaffaf and Bush both along with Patrick Leahy to guard Bhutto.

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

[caywen]

Joe Biden doesn't have to hide his Pakistan record. He's been on the money all along.

[siri2k]

HA! Benito Giuliani: ''I think the goal has to be, we have to destroy Al Qaeda and the Taliban,''

Someone needs to tell him that this is a PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE YEAR 2007.

not a Star Wars movie. The guy's trippin'!

It'll be a middle eastern region wide sheet of glass if this guy gets anywhere NEAR the White House.

Thank God, I believe he doesn't have a chance in hell, and neither do any of the other "Republicans" in 08, but nevertheless, he should tone it down, take some meds, or be relegated to a rubber room somewhere.

I wish I could remember who first coined this phrase but it's a riotous truth, "Guiliani is but a little man in search of a balcony."
lol
dude's trippin!
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