Spring Break
Pakistan's dictator is wrong, but brings stabilty to a nuclear country
Sam Chenkin
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: Ed-Op
- Page 1 of 2 next >
For several days now, those who pay attention have been watching a burgeoning crisis in Pakistan. On Nov. 3, President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in Pakistan. This, according to him, legally suspended the constitution of the government, and instituted what can best be described as military rule.
Since then, hundreds of lawyers and other civilians, numbering over 1,000 have been arrested.
These lawyers refused to recognize his authority to suspend the constitution. Privately owned news has been suspended, and telephone service has been curtailed. While Musharraf has called upon the threat from Islamist terrorists as the reason for the state of emergency, it is no secret that there has been a great deal of friction between the judicial branch and him.
After a number of rulings limiting the executive branch's power, the courts have been scheduled to decide on the legitimacy of Musharraf's re-election. The issue hinges on his ability to be both the leader of the military (the position from which he declared an emergency rule) and president at the same time.
Musharraf has previously promised to step down from his military position before being confirmed.
For now, little has happened. The West is putting pressure on Musharraf, but only in words. The U.S. has yet to personally condemn Musharraf, and is unlikely to do so in the near future. Threats of economic sanctions have been bandied about, but I'm not holding my breath.
This is par for the course in Pakistan. Musharraf himself rose to power in 1999 in a bloodless coupe, and military commanders have controlled the country since its inception.
There have been many interludes of military rule interspersed with democratically elected officials over the years. So why is this any different?
One reason is Pakistan's possession of a nuclear arsenal capable of reaching Israel and India.
No one wants these weapons to fall into the hands of extremist groups. President Musharraf has promised that enough safeguards exist to keep the weapons locked down even with civil strife, but some still question the safety of these weapons.
Since then, hundreds of lawyers and other civilians, numbering over 1,000 have been arrested.
These lawyers refused to recognize his authority to suspend the constitution. Privately owned news has been suspended, and telephone service has been curtailed. While Musharraf has called upon the threat from Islamist terrorists as the reason for the state of emergency, it is no secret that there has been a great deal of friction between the judicial branch and him.
After a number of rulings limiting the executive branch's power, the courts have been scheduled to decide on the legitimacy of Musharraf's re-election. The issue hinges on his ability to be both the leader of the military (the position from which he declared an emergency rule) and president at the same time.
Musharraf has previously promised to step down from his military position before being confirmed.
For now, little has happened. The West is putting pressure on Musharraf, but only in words. The U.S. has yet to personally condemn Musharraf, and is unlikely to do so in the near future. Threats of economic sanctions have been bandied about, but I'm not holding my breath.
This is par for the course in Pakistan. Musharraf himself rose to power in 1999 in a bloodless coupe, and military commanders have controlled the country since its inception.
There have been many interludes of military rule interspersed with democratically elected officials over the years. So why is this any different?
One reason is Pakistan's possession of a nuclear arsenal capable of reaching Israel and India.
No one wants these weapons to fall into the hands of extremist groups. President Musharraf has promised that enough safeguards exist to keep the weapons locked down even with civil strife, but some still question the safety of these weapons.
Be the first to comment on this story