Bush's Silence On South Asia
The Bush administration "has put itself in the embarrassing position of
propping
up the Muslim world's most powerful military dictator
as an essential ally in its half-baked campaign to promote democracy
throughout the Muslim world," The New York Times editorialized in June,
referring to Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Last weekend,
Musharraf implemented emergency
rule, "suspending
the country's Constitution, firing the chief justice of the Supreme
Court and filling the streets of this capital city with police
officers." Since then, the Bush administration has pleaded with
its close "ally
in the war on terror" to hold elections and for Musharraf to give
up his army post "as soon as
possible." "I
hope he takes my advice," Bush said on Monday, giving "no
indication that the general's imposition of emergency rule would bring
about any significant change in American policy." The Center for
American Progress has released a report titled The
Forgotten Front, referring to how the Bush administration has
allowed democracy to crumble in Pakistan and
Afghanistan, aiding in the growth of security threats. In light of
the growing
threats in the region and the recent
events in Pakistan, the United States needs to refocus efforts
on this
"forgotten" component of its foreign policy.
GROWING TERRORIST THREAT: While the United States is mired
in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan has
deteriorated. Threats to the U.S. grow in both countries, as al
Qaeda has been given
almost free reign to reconstitute itself. The insurgency in
Afghanistan "is strengthening due to an insufficient
number of international and Afghan troop levels, a lack of
equipment, a misguided military strategy, a disjointed coalition."
Western Pakistan is harboring a "growing
recruiting pool for the insurgency, and a safe haven in Pakistan"
for al Qaeda. Currently, al Qaeda and the Taliban-led Afghan insurgency
are using Pakistan as a staging ground for operations in Afghanistan
and around the world. While this is largely due to the
"historical isolation and weakness of the Pakistani government in these
areas," the United States has ignored these developments because of the
war in
Iraq, as Bush has doled out billions to the Pakistani military and
government "with
little or no oversight."
BUSH'S SILENCE ON DEMOCRACY: While
the United States
claims it has always urged Pakistan to pursue "more
democracy and
freedom," it has been lax on this front during the Bush
administration. So far, Bush has not
personally contacted Musharraf to press
him to return to the path to democracy, a silence that reflects
Bush's traditional hush-hush towards Musharraf.
Since 9/11, the United States has given $10 billion in aid almost
exclusively to the Pakistani army, with little attention paid to
Pakistan's civil society or moderate political forces. In return,
it has "expected Pakistan to cooperate on counterterrorism
and the war in Afghanistan, but
little else." "The U.S. government's silence on democracy promotion
in Pakistan further undermines U.S. credibility among the Pakistan
people and support for U.S. objectives in the region." Returns on the
counterterrorism front have also been dismal, as the United States has
tied its
security in the region to Pakistan's
"military and intelligence services ability to deliver al Qaeda and
Taliban leadership and General Musharraf's strategic objectives."
But rather than cracking down on extremist groups, "President
Musharraf has supported them in order to maintain his political power
and advance Pakistan's national interests in Kashmir
and Afghanistan."
THE WAY FORWARD: The
Washington Post reported in June that Bush's failing Pakistan
policy was "essentially
being run from [Vice President] Cheney's office." For the first time in U.S. history, "nobody
with serious Pakistan
experience is working in the South Asia bureau of the State
Department,
on State's policy planning staff, on the National Security Council
staff or even in Vice President Cheney's office." Today,
the U.S. policy towards Pakistan needs a
greater emphasis on strengthening democracy and more effective
counterterrorism measures. The United States should encourage "Pakistan
to hold
free and fair parliamentary elections" and pressure Musharraf to
"come to agreements with opposition leaders rather than relying on the
army and Islamic militants to maintain power." Furthermore, the "focus
of U.S. support must be expanded to the people of Pakistan" through
greater economic and humanitarian assistance. As the 9/11 Commission recommended,
more aid should be devoted to educational opportunities, as radical
maddrassas are often the only educational options for many
Pakistanis. The U.S. should also shift aid from conventional military
to counterrorism efforts, and put "much greater pressure on Musharraf
to disrupt the Taliban and al Qaeda's command and control."
Furthermore, Bush should also increase efforts to facilitate a political
dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as "the insurgency will
remain robust in Afghanistan as long as the insurgents have a safe
haven in Pakistan."
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