Hugh Hewitt with Victor Davis Hansen on Pakistan;
VDH: Yeah, but we got Ramzi Youssef. That’s true. We did. And we killed a couple of people with Predators inside Pakistan. But we haven’t got a lot of traction as far…and see, the problem is we don’t know to what degree there’s any popular support for us to get anybody, because as you saw that latest Pew poll, I think it was conducted in May, the two countries with the highest anti-American sentiment were Turkey and Pakistan. So if we were to get a constitutional government under Bhutto or whoever would be elected, I’m not sure there would be much difference, except that they could argue that it’s legitimate. What we kind of get the worst…it reminds me of the Greek colonels in the 70’s. They kept saying to us if you don’t back us, you’re going to get communist and Marxist. And yet, they played us every way possible with aid, and then they would tell their own people, you better support us, because we’re the only guys who can get American aid. And Musharraf talks out of both sides of his mouth.HH: But the Greek colonels turned out pretty well, didn’t they, Victor?
VDH: I don’t think so.
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A good interview with VDH outlining the US policy choices of distasteful, bad, and downright ugly.
Everyone's worst nightmare would be Islamic extremists launching nukes against India or surrounding countries.
VDH is correct Pervez Musharraf has to get the constitutional election process back on track. Whether he likes it or not Pervez has to get legitimacy back in his corner. Alienating the judiciary and the electoral process indefinitely would be ulitimately bad for Pakistan and everybody around it. The best case scenario would be elections which build a democratic coalition with Benazir Bhutto. It might be an uneasy alliance but decidedly better than nuclear meltdown with Islamic extremists at the helm.
Power sharing is better than outright disaster due to blinkered political polarization.
The dark horse are elements of the ISI who are sympathetic to the Islamic extremist cause.
Pakistanis are smart enough to know that a sustained bloodbath is not in their long term interest. Russia and China would also likely be on board as they wouldn't want a nuclear 'loose cannon' right in their back yard. The Chinese in particular understand the value of de-escalation in view of the recent North Korea wind down negotiations of the Pyongbang reactor.
Abyss gazing has a wonderful way of focusing political concentration!!
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht BGS, PDP, CFP
Commander in Chief
Frankenstein Battalion
2nd Squadron: Ulanen-(Lancers) Regiment Großherzog Friedrich von Baden(Rheinisches) Nr.7(Saarbrucken)
Knecht Rupprecht Division
Hans Corps
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
Posted by: Hans Rupprecht at November 7, 2007 2:30 PMAny country that beats lawyers with clubs- hundreds of them at once- and then arrests them and throws them in jail, can't be all bad.
Posted by: sheik yerbootie at November 7, 2007 4:00 PMAny country that beats hundreds of lawyers at a time with clubs, and then throws them in jail, can't be all bad.
Posted by: sheik yerbootie at November 7, 2007 4:03 PMgame set and match to the sheik
Posted by: matt at November 7, 2007 4:09 PMSheik says what I only pondered.....now something about Canadian Federal court justices is percolating in the dark recesses of my evil imagination.
I can't help but think that it might be a good thing if Pakistan suddenly became a non-nuclear country. Say by a series of mysterious explosions that just happened to delete their entire store of nukes and reactors at one go. Like, all in the same ten minutes.
George on the phone to Pakistan: "Meteors did it Mr. Musharraf. Honest. Now, about those elections..."
Posted by: The Phantom at November 7, 2007 5:37 PM"Sheik says what I only pondered.....now something about Canadian Federal court justices is percolating in the dark recesses of my evil imagination.
Posted by: OMMAG at November 7, 2007 4:30 PM"
OMMAG, are you sure your evil imagination wasn't percolating on that wonderful vocal group, The Supremes? That famous rap band "The Bad Santa Suits"?
If Musharraf does fall, then I can see the prices for radioactive Obsidian lowering, and in light of how it is produced, that will not be a good thing.
Posted by: M1 Garand at November 7, 2007 6:21 PMY'all should listen to Eric Margolis:
http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2007/11/05/eric-margolis-3/
I reckon he knows a thing or two 'bout the region.
Posted by: nukeyerbootie at November 8, 2007 12:08 AMGreat Post Kate!
Ordinarily I wouldn't expect a post on SDA making a wingnut heavy hitter like HH look so. . so wingnutty but this one does.
Praising the Greek Colonels? Even VDH shys from that one. And the imperial "we" when talking about the Shah? HH was letting it all hang out.
nukyerbootie
Margolis is a deep embarrassment to any sort of thinking or ethical conservative just as the website that hosts the interview is an embarrassment to any real progressive.