On NPR this morning I was treated to another round of correspondants and experts attributing this to the Bush Administration. This is hilariously instinct with the main impulse of the Pak mobs: never blame the 30 million unreconstructable jihadi tribals only 100 km to the northwest of Islamabad. No – it’s always the fault of the US; in fact, there would be no inner turmoil in feudal/kleptocratic Pakistan were it not for the manipulations of a few CIA agents and the tantalizing prospect of a half dozen nearly obsolete fighter jets.
Disgusting. Pakistan is a complete sh*thole of resentment, serfdom and exploitation beyond anything the British – nevermind the USA – would have bothered imagining, let alone implemented. At this point it’s difficult to ascribe these tendencies to anything but the stupidity of these people. Sorry if that offends your sensibilities, Dorothy.
Of course, even though Musharaff remains the best option and was self-evidently the best option prior to the intervention of those geniuses at the State Department, he failed to confront the tribes effectively – i.e., with massive punitive slaughter (journalists can’t go there anyway). For some reason there is this Asiatic soft spot for the ancient ways of forefathers whose habits are only a generation or two or three removed from the present public.
Anyway, hopefully this won’t allow Sharif to prosper.
