Pakistani politics (catch all)

**Norfolk** · 11-18-2007

From the International Herald Tribune and the Associated Press, 18 November:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/...a/pakistan.php

Quote:

Scores killed in sectarian violence in Pakistan

International Herald Tribune, The Associated Press
Published: November 18, 2007

ISLAMABAD: Fierce battles between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Pakistan's volatile northwest have left 91 people dead, officials said Sunday, despite the imposition of a state of emergency justified in part by the need to quell sectarian unrest.

Combatants used mortars and other heavy weapons in the Shiite-majority town of Parachinar late Saturday and early Sunday, an intelligence official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Continuing to defy the United States, Pakistan's president, General Pervez Musharraf, declined to tell a senior American envoy when he would lift a two-week-old state of emergency, Pakistani and western officials said.

In a two-hour, face-to-face meeting Saturday with Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, who urged the president to end the emergency, Musharraf said he would do so when security improves in the country.

Negroponte is the United States' second highest ranking diplomat.

In a news conference before he left Pakistan on Sunday, Negroponte said it would take time to determine whether the U.S. message had an impact.

"In diplomacy, as you know, we don't get instant replies," he said. "I'm sure the president is seriously considering the exchange we had."

The military said Sunday it would send soldiers to control the outbreak of violence in Parachinar. In a statement, the military said 91 people, including 11 security personnel, had been killed over the weekend.

The violence began Friday when gunmen attacked a Sunni mosque. Sunni militiamen retaliated by attacking Shiites, the police said.

Separately on Sunday, a passenger train was attacked near Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province, killing one passenger and injuring three, The Associated Press reported, quoting a railway official.

-Unquote

The article goes on to describe Negroponte's meeting with the Pak Army's 2i/c, both alone once and at least twice in the company of Gen. Musharraf. It seems quite plain that the U.S. is very much attempting to shore up the Pakistani Government's position, and that position is clearly deteriorating at an accelerated, and accelerating, pace.

**tequila** · 11-19-2007

Michael O'Hanlon and Fred Kagan provide a good primer on what not to do in Pakistan.

I'd like to figure out what planet these gentlemen are living on nowadays. It must be the same place from which they intend to bring in the thousands of extra American troops and "moderate Muslim" forces they will use to invade Pakistan.

And people actually mocked Obama for saying something far less insane.

**Tom Odom** · 11-19-2007

Tequila,

I always look for key phrases like "crack international" troops--then I know we have a used car salesman involved.

It is amazing how clear the world is when you never participate in it.

Scary, really scary...

Tom

**goesh** · 11-21-2007

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21909129/

"updated 2:27 a.m. ET, Wed., Nov. 21, 2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - When Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte visited Pakistan last weekend, he met once with President Pervez Musharraf, for two hours. But before he left town, he held three meetings with a lesser-known figure: Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani, the deputy army chief.
..................................
"To understand the power of Pakistan, you have to understand that it's the military that matters. And they are kingmakers here," said Shireen M. Mazari of the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad. "

**davidbfpo** · 11-21-2007

Another website reported today that the current series of Pakistan -v- India cricket matches attracts more attention from the public than politics.

At first I was sceptical, but a colleague who has just returned from Pakistan stated the State of Emergency and politics was disregarded by most Pakistani's. Politicians are held in low esteem and reported that Musharraf was finished.

I recall The Economist earlier this year reported that Pakistan only had two working national institutions: the Army and the national cricket team.

So perhaps cricket is more important to the "man in the street".

davidbfpo

**tequila** · 11-22-2007

In my darker moments, I sometimes wonder what percentage of the population of the United States would care if there was a military coup in this country, or if the Constitution was suspended. If the economy kept ticking along and the Super Bowl was played, would enough people care to make a difference?

I think the average Pakistani (if there is such a thing in such a factionalized place) knows that there will, in the end, not be a real place for him at the table once the players are done shuffling pieces. The game will be played out amongst the Army's corps commanders, the machine politicians of the PML-Q and PPP and PML-N, the United States, and the Chinese. The lawyers may play a small role as well. But either way, none of these groupings truly represents a broad cross section of the Pakistani public.