The Sunshine Empire

There is a feeling around the world that Americans are un-affected by the goings on around the world, yet I felt a profound sadness over the heinous murder of Benizir Bhutto this morning.  My own mother called me to let me know what had happened, because we follow world politics in our household.  The event has brought to mind many things that need to be discussed.

The first discussion should be what a valiant martyr for the cause of democracy and self determination Ms. Bhutto is.  In listing to the coverage on the BBC world service this morning as I drove, I was struck how much she understood how dangerous her position was.  She was a child of privilege that had studied in the U.S. and U.K. and could have lived a fantastic life away from her chaotic country, but even after her father was hanged by Zia Haq she still chose to work as a public servant for the people of Pakistan.  Her rule is not without critique, with her support for the Taliban and the constant corruption charges that had her run out of the country twice after terms as Prime Minister.  Yet she came back again to work for the PPP under the realization that Pervez was intentionally under securing her.

Which leads us to the General err President Musharraf.   Pervez Musharraf was the prime suspect by many of Ms. Bhutto’s supporters, (They chanted “Dog Musharraf Dog” outside the hospital.  To compare to a dog is one of the worst insults in Islam.) and I have to admit that I felt it was his obligation to come out and prove to the world that he had not at least allowed her to be assassinated.  That being said I have a hard time understanding how he benefits now from this.  If he wanted her dead why did he wait so long?  I don’t doubt he’s capable of it, I just don’t get how it works for him now.  He had lifted the state of emergency, kept elections on track, and had allowed both her and Nawaz Sharif to return to the country.  Bhutto had screamed from the mountaintops that Pervez wanted her dead to the world community.  The international community is staring at him as if he has blood on his hands and the streets are filled with rioters.

That being said as well I do think that the fucking ISI is perfectly capable of pulling this off.  The ISI, which is Pakistan’s KGB, FBI, CIA and Mob all rolled into one gave comfort to the Taliban and nuclear technology to Iran.  They are capable of doing anything and I don’t think anybody in Pakistan is capable of controlling them, even Musharraf.

Yet what does this mean for the U.S.?  Bush has insisted that elections go forward in Pakistan in January, effectively with only Musharraf’s party really running.  That means that the President General will benefit from this act politically.

The more I think about this the more I see Pervez as nothing but a modern day Shah.  The U.S. stuck by the Shah through thick and thin, because he was the best thing going for us.  That eventually resulted in the Iranian revolution and the problem of Iran.  Pakistan has the worst reality brought forth of blowback from “do as I say and not as I do” U.S. foreign policy.  Under the Bush administration it is arguably the worst in 200 years.