Pakistan: A Failing Ally Not Stable, Not Democratic
By Aditya Rajagopalan ’09
News Staff Reporter
In an interview with ABC News on November 21, 2007, President George W. Bush offered only praise for his close friend, Pervez Musharraf: “He’s been a loyal ally in fighting terrorists. He’s also advanced democracy in Pakistan.” It is these two goals—stability and democracy—that the world has hoped would be achieved in Pakistan since the earliest days of its existence. Many thought that Pakistan would attain both goals with the advent of the US-Pakistan alliance. Pakistan would be the shining example of a terrorist-filled nation purged of its extremists, a nation where the moderate populace lived free, democratic, and peaceful lives. Pakistan would be the bulwark against al-Qaeda, the peaceful nuclear power, and the keystone in the War on Terror. That hope was strengthened when Benazir Bhutto returned to her country, intent on regaining her role as Prime Minister and on bringing liberal democracy to Pakistan. Bhutto campaigned fearlessly, amidst assassination attempts and abounding threats, and seemed destined to lead Pakistan once again. She would bring stability to the divided nation, and democracy to a nation under martial law.
And then she was assassinated.
Bhutto’s tragic death shocked the world, causing many to wonder what had become of Pakistan, the nation that was supposed to be the United States’ greatest ally against terrorism. However, Bhutto’s death was not an isolated event, for her death simply shows that those who have thought that Pakistan is a stable nation boldly and successfully fighting off al-Qaeda are sadly deceived: Pakistan has failed to defeat terrorism, and has markedly deteriorated during the War on Terror.
Terrorists now have autonomous bases in the tribal areas of Pakistan, and have assurances of safety and shelter from the Pakistani government. Pakistan’s al-Qaeda training camps in the region are “full,” and are continually pumping trained terrorists into Afghanistan and the rest of the world. Terrorists can walk the streets of Pakistan, knowing that their own brethren are safe, even among military and intelligence corps of Pakistan. Pakistan, as Bhutto’s death showed, cannot protect the lives of its most important leaders, and is very unstable. Worst of all, Pakistani terrorists—not Iranian or Iraqi terrorists—are alarmingly close to taking control of the Pakistani government and obtaining, seemingly effortlessly, their first nuclear weapon.
If we learn only one thing about Pakistan from Bhutto’s death, let it be that we are doing nothing to stop terrorists in their most influential base. While we combat terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have failed to acknowledge that Pakistan is the nation that is at the root of the vast majority of recent terrorist attacks, and have, instead, offered unfettered support of that very nation. Why do we continue to provide President Musharraf with fighter jets, financial incentives, and support when he has stopped containing terrorism, and allowed it to bloom within his country’s borders? If stability and democracy were our greatest goals in Pakistan, why have we continued to endorse the leader that has provided neither? And why do we put pressure on Iran for attempting to create nuclear weapons when we haven’t pressured the nation that may hand terrorists its most potent weapon?
It is time that we open our eyes to see that which we have failed to see for years: Pakistan, the country that has received the United States’ unfettered support, is the new home of terrorism. Let us open our eyes after Bhutto’s death to the tragic realities of Pakistan, and not consider her death an isolated tragedy, for it is the lack of Pakistani stability, democracy, and safety that were responsible for Bhutto’s assassination. Let us make sure to make clear to President Musharraf that he needs to contain terrorism within his borders, or risk losing the blind American support he has received for years. Let us make sure that Benazir Bhutto did not die in vain—that stability, democracy, safety, and freedom, will at last triumph in Pakistan.
