Musharraf Was Pakistan's Best Hope
By Z. Jeewanjee
Washington, DC
The present marks a sad state of affairs in Pakistan. Inflation has hit an all time high, the new government lacks legitimacy and territorial sovereignty has been breached by not only a growing insurgency, but also foreign forces. Congratulations everyone who foolishly yet vociferously insisted on a pseudo democracy since as far back as 2006.
Recent events should prompt supposed democracy advocates who adamantly voted out Musharraf to honestly reassess why they personally did so and in hindsight, how that conflicts with what Pakistan truly requires during these grave times.
Musharraf was Pakistan's best hope against an alarming cross border insurgency from Afghanistan and subsequent foreign military incursions in the NWFP and FATA areas. His long-term sustainable solution of using Pakistani troops in conjunction with Frontier Corps forces to rally support against the cross border militants now settled in the north of Pakistan so that those inhabitants themselves would root out insurgents was a just and viable solution to this issue.
Musharraf as head of state with sweeping powers granted to him, albeit as a dictator, exhibited unprecedented responsibility, moderation, and effectiveness to root out the security breaches in Pakistan. Furthermore, the consequences of foreign military incursions to counter the growing insurgency as per Musharraff’s exit, and therefore his strategy, will most likely result in immediate increases in the violent insurgency and grave civilian losses. Regardless of how surgical and acute foreign strikes may be, they will not be welcomed by Pakistanis, to put it lightly. Pakistan is not a war-torn, tribal-based Afghanistan or historically run by iron fist dictators such as Iraq; its people are generally moderate and are by no means under threat of being taken over by fundamental Muslims or Islamic militants. So foreign military attacks will be seen as just that - attacks. US forces will not be seen as liberators or benevolent bearers of Western modernity.
In the longer term, expect a US military base situated in northern Pakistan, close to the Bagram base to ensure convenient gas, energy and of course geo-politically strategic interests. Like the short-term effects, this will be met with strong disapproval. And the last thing the US needs is a further weakening of their already declining moral authority in the world.
So, it amazes me how people can still condemn Musharraf with a straight face despite the fact that as his decline in authority began from 2006 until present day so has Pakistani and regional security. It reminds me of people who still use “WMD” and “Iraq” in the same sentence with a straight face.
Hopefully President Zardari will have the foresight to execute the previous administration’s national security strategies as a top priority. Democracy is the most effective form of government and Pakistanis have a right to a truly viable democracy. But with the world’s largest refugee problem, porous borders to a war torn unstable state, a repressive feudal system, rampant illiteracy and a long standing ever shrinking pool from which to select pseudo democratic politicians as leaders, Pakistan needed Musharraf as complete head of state. His prompted exit was a premature precursor to the turmoil that exists today.
