Jack & Jill Politics

So said Newsweek Magazine last week. But, I’ve been saying this for the past few months.

So while this Administration continues its LIES to try and justify an upcoming attack on IRAN, the REAL threat to GLOBAL SECURITY – PAKISTAN, remains low on the American’s public radar – a MISTAKE.

What happened today in Pakistan should trouble people who worry about Global Security.

Pakistani PM: State of emergency to last ‘as long as necessary’

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) — Pakistan will be under a state of emergency for “as long as it is necessary,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Sunday, a day after Pervez Musharraf suspended the constitution and widened his powers as president and military chief.

In a commentary written for CNN on Sunday, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto called Musharraf’s plan “a step to entrench his dictatorship” and called for elections under an independent caretaker government.

But Aziz said it could be months before parliamentary elections — scheduled for January — will take place.

“The parliament could give itself more time, up to a year, in terms of holding the next elections,” Aziz said. “However, at this point, no decision has been made.”

The state of emergency had been imposed to “bring more harmony to the pillars of state” and to protect against extremism in the country, Aziz said.

Hundreds of people have been detained.

Earlier in the day, Musharraf’s spokesman, Information Minister Tariq Azim Khan, said on Dubai-based GEO TV that parliamentary elections would be delayed indefinitely.

Aziz stressed that despite the emergency measure, Musharraf’s government is “committed to pursuing our parliamentary form of government” and “making sure elections are held.”

Before imposing the state of emergency, Musharraf had vowed to hold elections no later than January 15.

The move has put the United States in a precarious position and has raised fears about widespread chaos in Pakistan, a nuclear nation.

Rest of Article Here.

Bhutto’s commentary on CNN.com-No Time for Dictatorship

Secretary of State Rice has indicated that there will be U.S. Review of Aid given to Pakistan, which has topped 10 Billion Dollars. I don’t expect for this to be anything more than some saber rattling from the USA. While they don’t have to like what Musharraf has done, the USA deals with a lot of not-so-nice folks. But, whatever his faults, Musharraf is OUR present devil that we know. If the USA could be assured that one of Musharraf’s opponents, who also happen to fall into the Moderate Muslim Category that goes against Islamist Extremism, like Mrs. Bhutto, could get complete control over the country, they’d back that person in a heartbeat. But, good or bad, Mr. Musharraf’s tenuous control is still control, and the alternatives could be worse for the USA. Keep an eye out for the happenings in Pakistan.

One of the reasons why we shouldn’t even be talking about IRAN, is because, whatever we have left of our Armed Forces, needs to be able to do something in Pakistan, in case it falls.