Sunday, November 4, 2007

WTF Musharraf?

The situation in Pakistan is probably even scarier than the news seems to treat it. The more crazy dictator Musharraf gets and the stronger the Islamists become in the areas out of government control, the closer the country gets to some Iran-style revolution or just plain chaos. That means nukes, fellas, stuck in the worst of places. I hope someone -- Pakistan, the CIA, the French, Scooby Doo -- has a very good plan sitting around as to what to do should that situation arise. Is there a way to make sure the crazies don't get a bomb that's not, you know, apocalyptic?

But Doc Strangelove scenarios aside, let us parse how bizarre The General's speech was today. From the New York Times:

"The general, dressed in civilian clothes, quoted Lincoln, citing the former president’s suspension of some rights during the American Civil War as justification for his own state of emergency."

Lincoln was so badass that Pakistani dictators can cite him as a rationale for overthrowing the government? Does Musharraf read the National Review all day? And isn't Pakistan the number one country for America-hating in the known universe? Maybe the best plan isn't to reassure your citizens with "We'll be just like our hated America during its most bloodiest period of civil strife!"

As if to confirm that Musharraf's speechwriter is a member of The Corner:

"He accused the country’s Supreme Court of releasing 61 men who he said were under investigation for terrorist activities. 'Judicial activism,' he said, had demoralized the security forces, hurt the fight against terrorism and slowed the spread of democracy."

Apparently "Judicial Activism" is a magic word that lets you do anything you want as President in Pakistan, too! At least the judges aren't letting the gays get hitched there, then he might declare himself dictator-for-life instead of just dictator-for-indefinite-vaguely-defined-crisis.

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