Pakistan

[gae]

Any comments? Should we all panic?

[Beachcomber]

Yes. About the left in this country pushing Musharraf to relinquish power and unleash pandemonium. When will idiots in this country stop trying to impose our society on other nations? Musharraf is an ally, he clamps down on islamic extremism. Bhutto was well intentioned, but I don't think she would have been able to control the extremists in Pakistan. Let's just hope none of the extremist groups get ahold of their nukes.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ December 28, 2007 09:41 AM: Message edited by: Beachcomber ]</font>

[Lew]

Well, maybe we'll get lucky and India will finally invade them once and for all...

[travelinman]

That damn apology by Huckleberry Hound will hopefully be his ?Howard Dean? moment and we can get back to the real Republicans.

Senator, your reaction, first, to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

FRED THOMPSON: It is a tragedy, of course. It reminds us that things can happen in faraway places of the world that can affect the United States. I think this should be of great concern to us. It is almost a perfect storm in a very bad sense because two forces are operating against each other that are both desirable. One is democracy: they were making progress in that regard in that country. Former prime minister Bhutto was an important part of that process. But the other is stability. Pakistan is a nuclear country, and we cannot afford to let nukes fall into the hands of dangerous Muslim radicals. We are hoping those two things can be balanced out. We can see the continued progress toward a democratic society but also maintain stability in the country, which seems to be very much in doubt right now.



<font color="#0000FF" size="1">[ December 29, 2007 05:03 AM: Message edited by: travelinman ]</font>

[LanDroid]

...while presenting a secular image to the West, Musharraf has looked to Islamic parties to upend democracy and keep former prime ministers Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif out of politics. Musharraf engineered the unexpected electoral success of Islamic parties in the 2002 elections and helped them form governments in two provinces.

As a price for their cooperation, Islamic parties got protection for their Taliban and extremist allies and a free hand to impose more Islamic laws on Pakistanis. Since 2001, Musharraf has selectively cooperated in the war on terror but resisted cutting all ties with extremists.

Extremism is not a clean weapon, and the jihadi Frankenstein that Pakistani intelligence has let loose is now threatening its master.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1106/p09s02-coop.html

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I can see why Beachcomber likes this guy...

[Beachcomber]

I don't like him Lan. But to force his removal, thru Democratic means or otherwise, is inviting disaster. What do we want, another mess like we have in Iraq? Sure we removed the dictator Hussein, and unleashed pandemonium and civil war. Real good idea to repeat that strategy in a nuclear armed country...

[reason]

Originally posted by Beachcomber:
Yes. When will idiots in this country stop trying to impose our society on other nations?
<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ December 28, 2007 09:41 AM: Message edited by: Beachcomber ]</font></font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">So you're pleading for the United States to exit Iraq. Wow.

[Beachcomber]

Originally posted by The Big Sexy:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Beachcomber:
Yes. When will idiots in this country stop trying to impose our society on other nations?
<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ December 28, 2007 09:41 AM: Message edited by: Beachcomber ]</font></font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">So you're pleading for the United States to abandon its interests in Iraq and the middle east. Wow.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not really. But that should be an entirely new topic. Maybe tomorrow, or a month or so when you flutter in here again.

[reason]

I don't "flutter" in. I stomp in. Impose my will on you. Then leave.

Oh, my friend has a doublewide in Clearwater much like yours and has invited me down. I may stop in for fruity alcoholic beverages. I'll bring the tequila, you bring the mojito mix.

[Beachcomber]

LMAO. No thanks.