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Pakistani Presidential Elections Tomorrow |
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Sounds like Zardari’s got it in the bag, but that doesn’t mean it’s all good for Pakistan:
Few in Pakistan doubt that Saturday’s presidential election will be won by Asif Zardari, husband of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
That would represent an extraordinary turnaround for the most mistrusted politician in the country.
(I don’t know where they got that “most mistrusted” line - I thought that was Musharraf. Still, he’s probably in the number two slot on that list.)
But apparently Zardari has a “master plan” to head off competition from Nawaz Sharif and others. Who could have guessed?
It starts with a deal with the country’s most powerful institution, the army. Mr Zardari’s government will protect their interests, taking into account the army’s foreign strategic concerns and making sure its share of the national budget is well stocked.
The government will ensure a steady supply of aid and equipment from the US to meet the army’s needs to keep up with its giant neighbour, India.
In return, the army will go all out to defeat the militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas and keep out of national politics, party insiders say.
The PPP would be able to offer the one thing the United States most wants, all-out war on the Taleban and their al-Qaeda associates using Pakistan’s full resources.
For this, the PPP has made it clear to the US and the army that it needs as much power as possible, and that means having PPP people as president and prime minister.
From democratically-elected leader to US-backed puppet in just a few simple steps…I’m sure the Pakistani people will be thrilled. Am I the only one with a memory longer than six months? I thought the vote for Zardari and Sharif’s parties in February was an anti-Musharraf vote, hence in part an anti-Bush vote, hence buddying up to the US is sure to make people mad at Zardari…perhaps necessitating some crackdowns. That makes for an even shakier domestic situation. With US expansion into Pakistan and a seeming hunger for more, this kind of talk makes me pessimistic. What’s standing in the way of a two-front US-led war in South Asia now?
i believe it is Zardari who is the most mistrusted politician…hez ripped of pakistan before, he isnt educated, all he wants is money…the only reason these dumbasses are votin for him is becuz his wife was benazir….i think Imran khan should be made the President of Pakistan!