Lt_Ripley Posted June 5, 2007 #1 Share Posted June 5, 2007 U.S. lawmakers raise alarm over Pakistan politics Tue Jun 5, 2007 4:25PM EDT Politics News Senators seek jump in TB control spending Bush says Putin should not fear missile shield | Video U.S. needs Kyrgyz base to fight Taliban: Gates U.S. discontent over Iraq, Democrats rising: poll | Video WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pakistan's use of violent intimidation to quell political protests threatens U.S. and Pakistani interests, and President Pervez Musharraf must be encouraged to restore democratic processes, several U.S. congressmen say. The unusually blunt comments to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice by Sen. Joseph Biden and Rep. Tom Lantos, both Democrats, and Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen reflect growing U.S. unease with Musharraf's handling of a widening confrontation with political foes and prospects for Pakistan's stability. Musharraf, a general who took power in a 1999 coup, is an important U.S. ally in the war on terror but faces protests at home and criticism abroad over his government's attempts to remove Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. "Over the past two months, we have witnessed the spiral of civil unrest and harshly suppressed protest in Pakistan with increasing concern," the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Rice obtained by Reuters on Tuesday. "The national interests of the United States and Pakistan are both served by a speedy restoration of full democracy to Pakistan and the end to state-sponsored intimidation -- often violent -- of Pakistani citizens protesting government actions in a legal and peaceful manner." They said Rice should make a public appeal to this end. At a news briefing, spokesman Sean McCormack said the State Department was watching events in Pakistan closely but that Washington did not want to tell its ally what to do. "The Pakistani people are going to have to resolve this issue for themselves," McCormack said. "They are going to have to decide for themselves whether or not rule of law has been followed and whether or not proper procedures have been followed. It is not something that we can dictate nor want to dictate to the Pakistani people." Continued... US doesn't want to get involved ? funny he basically said the same here= Q Thank you, Mr. President. Earlier this week, you told a group of journalists that you thought the idea of sending special forces to Pakistan to hunt down bin Laden was a strategy that would not work. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q Now, recently you've also -- THE PRESIDENT: Because, first of all, Pakistan is a sovereign nation. Q Well, recently you've also described bin Laden as a sort of modern day Hitler or Mussolini. And I'm wondering why, if you can explain why you think it's a bad idea to send more resources to hunt down bin Laden, wherever he is? THE PRESIDENT: We are, Richard. Thank you. Thanks for asking the question. They were asking me about somebody's report, well, special forces here -- Pakistan -- if he is in Pakistan, as this person thought he might be, who is asking the question -- Pakistan is a sovereign nation. In order for us to send thousands of troops into a sovereign nation, we've got to be invited by the government of Pakistan. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20...20060915-2.html can't go after bin laden in a sovereign nation ,,,,,, yet Iraq was a sovereign nation..... what a liar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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