Latin American Experiment in Pakistan
Shakir Mumtaz
November 14, 2007
Latin American experiment in Pakistan?
Part II of Pakistan’s future hanging in balance.
Explosion in the welcoming procession of Benazir Bhutto, killing 200 people and injuring over 500, and the intensity of, clearly evident, Western interests in Pakistan and Benazir,- who fell in the lap of the USA as readymade stooge- demands very serious attention because it could drastically impact the future of Pakistan.
The point to ponder upon, contrary to the general perception, is whether the attack was really orchestrated to kill Benazir? There were four layers of security around her carrier, first three manned by her own people and the fourth one provided by law enforcement agencies. The attacker, despite all that, was able to get close enough, but yet at a safe distance, to the vehicle and did not detonate the explosive until Benazir went down in the safe cabin.
No one has yet claimed responsibility of the attack and one of the named suspects, Baitullah Mashood has denied carrying it out. The situation clearly indicates that it was staged to turn the discrediting sentiments into sympathy. Benazir’s numerous meetings with US and British higher officials, before returning to Pakistan, should be viewed with great concern because of her checkered past. She might already have signed on the plot to plunder the nation in return for her implanting back into the corridors of power. Flagrantly Pro-American pronouncements, assuring the unflinching loyalty and obedience, could be extremely costly gambit for any politician in Pakistan. Musharraf’s present situation, he is in, and his declining popularity, as well, has lot to do with his policies perceived as pro-American.
An alleged letter form Al Qaida threatening to kill her, received by Benazir’s attorney is nothing but frivolous maneuvering -a cheap shot to direct the attention to suitably perpetuated red herring. In the Public arena it would actually prove counterproductive.
Musharraf had been vehemently against Benazir’s and Nawaz’s coming back and taking any part in the country’s politics. He had to issue the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) under intense pressure from USA. I suspect Musharraf is wishfully counting on the results of the general elections whereby she could be denied entrance to the corridors of power in Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif being a nationalist hard liner has no use for the West and has been belittled by beings described, by an American official, an Unknown Commodity in the west. He also could have been a formidable opponent to the Musharraf’s PML (Q), therefore would remain on the fringes for a while.
The rest of the article would concentrate on the main themes of, Democracy, foreign Influence, the doctrinal thinking and the mindset of those who impose or wish to impose those policies, across the board, on the rest of the world.
The logic furthered, to induct Benazir into the political drama, is the lack of civilian credibility of Musharraf’s rule. The credibility problem mainly stemmed from his bad judgment in the case of County’s Chief Justice but his half-hearted military operations in the tribal areas actually necessitated its use as a catalyst of change; since the present actions taken by him are deficient to Americans policy of state terrorism; designed to keep the ignorant, rascal multitudes in their place, preparing the ground for Latin American Experiment in Pakistan.
He was ill advised by inner circle of politicians and his legal advisors, who had witnessed the similar removals carried out in the past with ease, hence did not anticipate any back lash. This kind of decision, however seems very un characteristic of his personality. He actually put his hand in the bee hive, a most corrupt segment of the Pakistani Diaspora. People often remark
“Why to hire a lawyer when one can hire a judge”
Frequent, overt and covert, visits of western officials, throwing uncanny demands and applying all kind of pressures on Musharraf are indicative of ground being prepared for repeat of Latin American experiment.
Benazir, being product of feudalism-grand daughter and daughter of feudal, heading a political party filled with feudals and her constituents being helpless generational slaves of her ancestors, renders her insensitive to lament, anguish and sufferings of the people, making her the most suitable person to head the Managed-Capitalist-Democracy in Pakistan under the tutelage of the USA -- as experimented, “in our little area” in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras and several other countries-- a death blow to the poor People of Pakistan.
Benazir Offering Pak RS 5000/= (US $ 83.00) per person killed in the explosion is enough to show her mindset and the value she places on the human life.
It is dawning on US that Musharraf, beyond a certain degree, would be hard to be managed and eventually need to be replaced by an easy to handle stooge--like Panamanian colonel Eduardo Herrera Hassan- Successor to Noriega & Vincent Gomez of Venezuela who opened his country freely for foreign exploitation--to implement the order in absolute terms for harvesting the fruit of Latin American Experiment replicated in Pakistan. The abrupt transition, however would be very disruptive to the USA as Pakistan, through Musharraf, is being used for 80 percent of logistic support for operations in Afghanistan and Musharraf seems to understand it very well.
Exploitation is inevitable necessity for the US and the West for their
Economic and Political survival.
The function of the third world (now especially south) is to provide services for the rich, offering cheap labor, resources, markets, opportunities for investment and export of pollution, along with other amenities such as haven for drug money laundering and other unregulated financial operations” In the Indian sub continent Pakistan seems to be a picture perfect place according to above doctrine.
Every thing in Pakistan, at the moment, hangs in balance. The supreme court is at the cross road, grappling whether to allow Musharraf to continue as President under the doctrine of Necessity at the cost of its recently acquired independence and prestige OR else risk the imposition of Marshall Law or Emergency by Musharraf. The Supreme Court decision, in favor or against president Musharraf, would have very far reaching effects on the future of Pakistan. (1) (See note at the end)
The forced entry of Benazir in this situation is very alarming. Although, she is being inducted into the political scenario on the pretext of propping up Musharraf to continue in place but if Musharraf is gradually or abruptly eased out then she would, sooner or later, be the frontal figure. Pakistan, in that case, least to say, would be disgraced to a level of “insignificant rascal multitude Nation of third world” (2) (see note at the end)
Contrary to the western and within politician’s rhetoric the Democracy is not the fate of Pakistan but a “capitalist-managed-democracy” if at all, with free access to the western exploitations. Pakistanis, across the board, ironically do not have a clear understanding of Democracy. They demand it taking it as some kind of elixir or panacea which would emancipate them from their day to day problems. If they know the true face of it they would never demand it but only Islamic system of Government which is absolutely humane and all embracing way of life.
Here is how the stalwarts of the west envision the “Democracy”
17th Century political thinker Marchamont Nedham says
Ignorant persons, Neither of Learning nor Fortune being put in Authority, Given their freedom”, the “self-opinionated multitude” would elect “the lowest of the People” who would occupy themselves with “Milking and Gelding the Purses of the Rich” taking “ the ready Road to all licentiousness, mischief, mere Anarchy and Confusion”
These sentiments are the common coin of the modern political and intellectual discourses in the west. Jefferson and Madison believed that the Power should be in the hands of the “natural aristocracy”
In 1960 a trilateral commission, a very influential NGO in foreign policy matters of the western countries even today, issued a warning of Impending “Crisis of Democracy” as segments of the public sought to enter the political arena. This “Excess of Democracy” was posing a threat to the unhampered rule of the Privileged elites- What is called “Democracy”
Reinhold Niebuhr (an influential foreign affairs adviser) who was revered by George Kennan, the Kennedy intellectual and many others, wrote
Rationality belongs to the cool observers” while the common person follows not reason but faith. The cool observer must recognize “the stupidity of the average man” and must provide the “necessary illusion to keep them in thrall” and the “emotionally potent oversimplifications” that will keep the naïve simpleton on course. It remains necessary to protect the “lunatic or distracted person” the ignorant rabble, from their own “depraved and corrupt” judgments just as one does not allow a child to cross the road without supervision”.
The leading figure of the public relations, Edward Barney says that “the very essence of Democracy is “the freedom to persuade and suggest” what he calls “the engineering of the consent”
Walter Lippmann described a “revolution” in the “practice of democracy” as “the manufacture of consent” has become a “self conscious art and a regular organ of popular governments” This is natural development when public opinion can not be trusted. He further says Public men, the elites, should be protected from “ignorant and meddlesome outsiders: the general public who are incapable of dealing with the substance of the problems.
British Ministry of Information secretly defined its task as “to direct the thoughts of the most of the world”. Fifteen years later an influential political scientist Harold Lasswell explained that “when elite lack the requisite force to compel obedience, social managers must turn to “a whole new technique of control, largely through propaganda” He added that conventional justification: we must recognize the “ignorance and stupidity of the masses” and not succumb to “democratic dogmatisms about men being the best judges of their own interest”. They are not, and we must guide them, for their own good.
Doctrinal course universally pursued by the western elites is as follows:
stupid and ignorant masses must be kept, diverted with emotionally potent oversimplifications, marginalized and isolated, ideally, each person should be alone in front of the television screen watching sports, soap opera or comedies, deprived of organizational structures that permits individuals lacking resources to discover what they think and believe in interaction with others, to formulate their own concerns and programs, and to act to realize them. They can not be permitted, even encouraged to ratify their decisions of their betters in periodic elections. ( Its application extends equally to the foreign Heads of states when decisions are made or debated in International forums such as UN, World Bank and IMF etc).
Western Democracy can best be described as “American thrift store item” which people think salvages them but actually a ruthless capitalist middle man is stacking millions exploiting the sentiments of compassion of the Donors and the poverty of the Down-Trodden buyers, living in the richest, most civilized country of the world.
Grand Area.
(Historical background & nefarious designs)
Pakistan, as part of the third world, falls in the US State Department charted revised Grand Area, including Western (and now Eastern also) Europe. Far East, and the former British colonies, Latin America and the Pacific as a region, with few exceptions such as the Africa, which was left for the Western Europe to exploit, necessary for the world control. According to NSC-68 (a doctrinal document of US Govt) no corner of the world is so small and insignificant that it may be safely overlooked.
According to state department, Middle East energy resources are and will remain of primary concern and incorporated into the US dominated system.
Because it is “a stupendous source of strategic power, and one of the greatest material prize in world history” President Eisenhower described Middle East as the “Most strategically important area in the world”
Now the similar importance is being attached to newly independent Russian states who are rich in resources and could have easy access to hot waters through Pakistan. (See part-1Pakistan’s future hangs in Balance)
Owing to the changed dynamics, realities, such as Politico-economic decline of the west and the US, the focus is being intensified on South generally and on Pakistan particularly for panoptic reasons. According to some analysts and intellectuals’s opinions it is the most dynamic, crucial and dangerous, at the same time, area for the future and even survival of the west. Just to mention only one aspect, Islam has put the survival of the western culture twice in question. Third would, most probably, be decisively consequential. (A survey conducted in 1994 showed that 61% of the Americans felt threatened by the Islamic revival)
According a CIA report the gravest concern for the west is the establishment of Caliphate-Khilafah; which at the moment, though seems very far fetched and remote possibility but, in my opinion, there would come a time when Muslim world would have it as the only choice and would start contemplating its establishment.
Another dimension is its potential of being a Core state for the Muslim world. Pakistan has size, the population, and military prowess and its leaders, Musharraf to name the most recent one, have fairly consistently tried to claim a role as a promoter of cooperation among Islamic states and the speaker for Islam to the rest of the world. Pakistan, despite many internal problems, has become nuclear Power and has put itself on the road to economic prosperity owing to the current team of technocrats having international level of expertise employing prudent economic policies. It is developing the organizational competence to provide both political and religious leadership to the Ummah. It is called the Fort of Islam and Situated in the center of the most strategic region in the world. It is, however also situated in the most anti west region of the world therefore demanding very special attention.
It would not be wrong to suggest, that the survival of the western culture hinges upon the annihilation of the tribal culture of the Muslim world or it would be the other way around as the history and the circumstances support it. So far even the most lethal and far advanced technology and so called supreme intellect of the West has not been able to make a dent in it.
Noam chomasky has very aptly explained the policies being pursued and their main thrust as to why countries like Pakistan are important.
we must maintain our un impeded access to developing economic markets throughout the world and to resources needed to support our manufacturing requirements” “we must maintain an expeditionary force able to execute variety of missions from counterinsurgencies to psychological warfare
Keeping in mind the technological advances in weaponry available to the new regional powers that will spring up throughout the third world”
According to NSC 141, 1953 The growing technological sophistication of Third world conflicts will place serious demands on our forces and yet may continue to threaten our interest, particularly in the Middle East.
According to Dick Cheney ( Defense sec Jan 1990), shared by Bush senior, “ US will need large Navy ( as intervention forces generally) to deal with brushfire conflicts and threats to American interest in places like Latin America and Asia” Two month later National Security Strategy report sent to congress described the Third world as probable Locus of Conflicts.
Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and North Korea, in the south, are causing western foreign policies experts to spin their heads and have lot of sleepless nights.
If we put it in a broader prospective it can be said that at macro level the clash is between the west (primarily US) and the rest whereas at micro level it boils down to a strait of Islam vs. Christianity.
During the fifteen years between 1980 and 1995 there had been seventeen military operations in the Middle East all directed against the Muslim.
(US Defense dept)
The role of the third world within the Grand area structure is to serve the needs of the industrial societies. George Kennan remarked that “ since the threat to our interests is indigenous we must realize that the final answer might be unpleasant one ,police repression by local governments, Harsh government measures of repression should cause no qualms as long as the results are favorable to our purpose”
The major threat to US interest is posed by nationalistic regimes who are responsive to the popular pressures for improvements in low living standards of masses and hence diversification of economies. Nationalism in whatever shape or color, ultra nationalism, economic nationalism, radical nationalism is unacceptable to the west.
Restoring Shah of Iran by overthrowing the Nationalist Mossadegh’s government by CIA backed coup leaving 40% share of Iranian oil to American oil companies is one such example. Other examples are those
of Arbenz’s Guatemala, Allend’s Chile and Sandanista’s Nicaragua.
In Pakistan 60 % of the economy is in multinational’s hands, and it is still growing. Musharraf’s Government recently has extended the tax holiday to these multinational for another term.
Developing countries having rich resource like Pakistan, from the west’s stand point, must learn an object lesson in the heavy cost which must be paid by one of their number which goes berserk with fanatical nationalism. This lesson would certainly strengthen the hands of “far sighted and reasonable leaders” of the third world like Benazir.
Pakistan in also being subjected to the directives of the de facto board of management of the North, through World Bank, IMF and other institutions, for the world economy. Protecting the interests of the North therefore leaves the plundered countries to face the wrath, even the violence of their own deprived people as in Latin America. Bretton woods institutions such as World Bank and IMF, on one hand, operate in secret, forcing the developing countries like Pakistan to be subordinated to the whims and demands of the investors, with public put in place and threat of democracy reduced.
On the other, these institutions are center of gravity for the economic decisions which gravely affect the developing countries. These institutions are fraught by undemocratic character, lack of pluralism and transparency in their dealings and debate of the ideas coupled with the condescending incompetence to influence the economic decisions of the industrialized countries.
A trinity of World Bank, IMF and GATT along with IDB of USA, Agency for international development, European Development, and UN Development Program have much greater influence than even the market forces on the developing countries.
Family dictatorships or totalitarian regimes such as in Saudi Arabia and Egypt are considered appropriate to serve best the interest of the US to fund the US Projects of terror and subversion throughout the world. The glaring example is the Terrible Trio of US, Saudi Arabia and Israel operating in various parts of the world. Saudi Arabia Funding US arms supply through Israel to elements in Iranian military, who it was hoped would over through the Iranian government. The Arab facades are much revered and loved by all US administrations since they help fuel the economies of the west. They are protected endangered species which need be protected from Saddams and Ayatollahs in the neighborhood.
Dilip Hiro writes that United States opposes democracies in this region because it is much simpler to manipulate few ruling individuals-to secure fat orders for arms and oil price manipulation-than wide variety of personalities and policies marred with obstacles of a democratic system.
The Arab Facade is used as long as they are useful otherwise crushed as Shah of Iran, Saddam Hussein. Henry Kissinger, a ruthless genocidal killer, have acidly said “ foreign policy is not to be confused with missionary work”
Israel had been much actively involved in Latin America where US was restricted due to Human rights legislation passed by congress. Now Israel is present in India, Iraq and Afghanistan, basically building a barricade around Pakistan and would be actively engaged again when ordered, as in Nicaragua and elsewhere in Latin America. Strategic co-operation is best defined as “My master gives me food to eat and I bite those whom he tells me to bite”.
What I have so far said about democracy, western hegemony, and economic imperialism could well be summed up as follow.
No new paradigms are needed to make sense of what is happening. The basic rules remain the same as have always been: the rule of law for the weak, the rule of force for the strong; the principles of economic rationality for the weak, state power and intervention for the strong. Privilege and power do not willingly submit to popular control or market discipline and therefore seek to undermine meaningful democracy (I would rather say the present system of government, as there is no such thing as meaningful democracy) to bend the rules to their special needs.
(Power can defend itself. In practice, the capitalist ethic treat freedom as a commodity, a lot is available in principle, and one can have what he can buy)
Latin America.
Let us now turn to the Latin America to exemplify my horrifying concerns in the face of western designs to Rob and Plunder Pakistan. I would touch on few countries as briefly as possible.
To start with, here are the devilish/doctrinal thought of John Foster Dulles.
Secretary of state John Foster Dulles advised President Eisenhower that Latin America should be made to accept US plans for their future as a source of raw material and profit for US Corporations parting a little bit of it for them to make them think you are fond of them.
Few regions of the world have been so dominated by a great power as Central America, which emerged from its usual oblivion in 1980s. Popular movements inspired by church’s new orientation towards the poor and dispossessed with options posed a challenge to the traditional order. After decades of brutal repression and destruction due to the US aid programs. The turning point was the overthrow of Somoza dictatorship. Then the violent repressions and state terrorism by so many groups unleashed and after a decade the desired order of the US was restored. The misery of the vast majority had deepened. The Power of the military and privileged was enhanced under the façade of democracy. Some 200,000 people were killed. Countless maimed, tortured, disappeared, driven from their homes. The damage done was beyond repair for generations to come.
Kennedy Initiatives in Latin America 1960s.
Ushered in what is known in Latin America as the National Security Doctrine, No defense against an external enemy, but a way to make the military establishment the masters of the game…(with) the right to combat the internal enemy, as set forth in the Brazilian doctrine, the Uruguayan doctrine, and the Colombian doctrine: it is right to fight and to exterminate social workers , trade unionists, men and women who are not supportive of the establishment, who are assumed to be communist extremists. And this could mean anyone, including human rights activists”
This doctrine then continued Under Regan and Bush administration and is still on course. The phrase ‘Communist” has however has been replace with
Islamist, Extremist & Terrorist”
Colombia. Vasquez Carrizosa (President of Human rights Colombia)
Behind the façade of constitutional regime we have a militarized society under the state or siege provided by the 1886 Constitution. The constitution grants rights having no relations to the reality. In this context poverty and insufficient land reforms have made Colombia the most tragic countries of Latin America” The prevailing misery violence and impoverished majority without income and political participation has been caused by mass indoctrination. “The story has another common thread. External factor, in 1960s US, under Kennedy, took great pain to transform the regular armies into counterinsurgency brigades with the Death Squads”
Dominican Republic.
Juan Bosch, a life long Marxist, elected in first free and fair elections held after a very long time in 1963 was removed from the office in a military coup. The elections process was delayed due to US repeated interventions supporting the torturer and murderer by Trujillo until he faltered and started encroaching on American interests and eliminated. He was soon replaced by new military regime. When the people of Dominican Republic rose to restore the constitutional regime they faced 23,000 strong US troops.
A desired regime of death squads, torture, repression, slave labor conditions, increase in poverty and malnutrition and vast emigration was established. The free elections of 1966 were tolerated only when the level playing field for its investors with huge profits was secured.
In Dominican Republic in 1965 direct invasion was required to bar the restoration of a constitutional regime, and to put it on road to managed Democracy. It was only after years of death squad killings, torture and takeover by US corporations what had not been acquired during earlier occupations. On an island blessed with varied mineral resources, fertile soil, and plentiful fish and fowl, Jan Knippers Black observes, an ingenious and industrious people continues to struggle with little relief or progress against the ravages of hunger and disease, and the country remains a virtual appendage of the United States, lacking even minimal independence with no escape from the misery for general population.
El-Salvador.
After the assassination of Father Ignacio country was left with 40.000 corpses lettering the streets, treasury robbed, economy devastated and country left in ruins. National Guards were driven out and new popular forces were mobilized, thereby creating a hope. Church based self help groups; Union, peasant associations and other such organizations were offering a hope to the devastated people due to grinding poverty and repression.
Guatemala.
Guatemala was compelled to defend itself against the US threatened attack, thereby creating an excuse of threat to US security which was then exploited to ruin the Guatemalan economy to provoke military coup or communist takeover. It will then justify our violent response-in self defense.
Extreme Poverty in Guatemala increased from 45 percent to 76 percent during 1985 to1988 after the establishment of democracy. The rest of the details are so graphic and gruesome that I would not have the heart to detail them out here. A lone honest voice of Joachim Maitre of Boston University observed that “US has installed democracies in central Americas of the style of Hitler Germany in El-Salvador and Guatemala”
Honduras.
In neighboring Honduras the elections were held in 1989. The elections were effectively restricted to two traditional parties. One candidate from a family of wealthy industrialist and the other from a family of land owners.
These elections were hailed in US media as a milestone for the United States as the democracy is taking hold in Central America. Both the candidates have close ties with the military which in turn is heavily dependent on US, as is the economy. Participation in the voting was ritualistic as the security forces escalated the violence as the elections approached. Target was Union leaders, independent candidates, journalists.
In preceding months the armed forces unleashed violent killing of political leaders and others leaving the bodies on the road side for the first time. Concentration of wealth in few hands increased during the decades of Democracy, malnutrition, starvation, misery increased to 70 percent. Economy is collapsing, with the capital flight and a sharp drop in foreign investment and almost half of the earnings going to debt servicing. But there is no threat to the order or the profit flow.
Now the murderous gangsters run the government both in Colombia and Honduras and are yet praiseworthy of being democracies. Elite opinion expresses considerable pride for these charnel houses. So called free and fair elections were held after the usual torture, killing, disappearances and mutilations and other effective devices of control.
Nicaragua.
(A test case in the history of subversion and state terrorism, the obsession of the 1980s.)
According to Jose Figueres Sandinistas brought the first such government in its history, popularly elected in fair and free elections. A government that cares for its people. Which initiated a through out debate, how to bring Nicaragua to the ‘Central American Mode” and impose “Regional Standards” those of the US client states. James Baker remarked “Nicaragua under the Sandinistas was a totalitarian society and a communist dictatorship, where we must intervene massively to assure that elites responsive to US interest Prevail as in the region”
Nicaragua was ruled by nationalists and social reforms were taking place which heightened the loss of US control of the security forces eliminating the standard tools of repression.
But Alas! The hope was reduced to ashes by the Regan Administration and his accomplices. Regan administration turned to the task of dismantling the peace accords which were signed in august 1987and resumed illegal supply of arms three times more to the contras. It kept the proxy forces in the field in violation of the accords to maximize the violence and disruption for making the people of Nicaragua to understand that the removal of the Sandinistas is the only way they can have decent survival. Honduras was used to supply the soviet style arms to Sandanistas to create a proof against them violating the agreement. Acre then explained that “we attacked lot of schools, health centers, and those sorts of things. We tried to make it so that the Nicaraguan government cannot provide social services for the peasants, cannot develop its projects….that is the idea” The low level terror and economic strangulation continued until Nicaragua achieved democracy-- that is until political power passed to the businesses and land owner elites linked to the United States. Allowing the US corporations to rob the country of its meager resources. In the long scheduled elections of 1990 US interfered massively to gain the victory for its candidate with enormous financial aid. White House announcement that only a victory by the US candidate would bring an end to the illegal US economic sanctions and restoration of aid or watch your children starve, In short the Daniel Ortega had to go and the cost was paid by the unimportant people of Nicaragua.
Panama is yet another glaringly classical example of direct intervention By US Special Forces abducting Manuel Noriega, who was on CIA payroll before falling from favor. The Panamanian Defense Force received a lavish praise from George Shultz and Its Head Colonel Eduardo Herrera Hassan was most brutal general, a favorite of the Americans and diplomatic establishment, whose armies gassed, beat and tortured civilians protesters against Noreiga. A Most brutal repressor in Panamanian History remembered by July 10th 1987-- called Black Friday.
After the Us Invasion Hospital directors reported that the morgues were overflowing from the very first day and appealed to Latin America and Europe to send medical equipment because” the United States in only giving us bullets” The lack of interest in civilian killings was shared by Congress but passed a resolution commending Bush for handling the invasion and expressing the death of 23 Americans. Manuel Noreiga has recently been released from Miami jail where he served his prison sentence awarded to him by US court. A foreign head of state, abducted by force and then sentenced by US court--a rare anomaly.
Conclusive thoughts.
An editorial in El Tiempo bitterly denounce the “International totalitarianism” of George Bush “in the guise of democracy” Bush has declared plainly to Latin America that for the North American Governments there is no law --only its will--when imposing its designs on the hemisphere”
A Columnist call ….“Just cause”
Coarse grotesque euphemism, neither more nor less than an imperialist invasion of Panama…. We live in a climate of aggression and disrespect… hurt by our poverty, our weakness, our naked dependence, the absolute submission of our feeble nation to the service of an implacable super power. Latin America is in Pain.
Note. Paragraph marked 1&2 were written before Musharraf imposed Emergency/Martial law and sacked the Supreme Court justices.
Provisional Constitutional Order issued laying down the restrictions, suspension of civil rights and Media from airing the Programs.
The main reason, among several others, for this step is to stop Supreme Court from giving verdict against Musharraf’s eligibility as President.
References/ Acknowledgement.
Material consulted/used in the preparation of this article.
Clash of Civilizations by Samuel Huntington.
Deterring Democracy & World Order Old and New
Both by Noam Chomasky.
Several other research papers and reports.
Part II of Pakistan’s future hanging in balance.
Explosion in the welcoming procession of Benazir Bhutto, killing 200 people and injuring over 500, and the intensity of, clearly evident, Western interests in Pakistan and Benazir,- who fell in the lap of the USA as readymade stooge- demands very serious attention because it could drastically impact the future of Pakistan.
The point to ponder upon, contrary to the general perception, is whether the attack was really orchestrated to kill Benazir? There were four layers of security around her carrier, first three manned by her own people and the fourth one provided by law enforcement agencies. The attacker, despite all that, was able to get close enough, but yet at a safe distance, to the vehicle and did not detonate the explosive until Benazir went down in the safe cabin.
No one has yet claimed responsibility of the attack and one of the named suspects, Baitullah Mashood has denied carrying it out. The situation clearly indicates that it was staged to turn the discrediting sentiments into sympathy. Benazir’s numerous meetings with US and British higher officials, before returning to Pakistan, should be viewed with great concern because of her checkered past. She might already have signed on the plot to plunder the nation in return for her implanting back into the corridors of power. Flagrantly Pro-American pronouncements, assuring the unflinching loyalty and obedience, could be extremely costly gambit for any politician in Pakistan. Musharraf’s present situation, he is in, and his declining popularity, as well, has lot to do with his policies perceived as pro-American.
An alleged letter form Al Qaida threatening to kill her, received by Benazir’s attorney is nothing but frivolous maneuvering -a cheap shot to direct the attention to suitably perpetuated red herring. In the Public arena it would actually prove counterproductive.
Musharraf had been vehemently against Benazir’s and Nawaz’s coming back and taking any part in the country’s politics. He had to issue the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) under intense pressure from USA. I suspect Musharraf is wishfully counting on the results of the general elections whereby she could be denied entrance to the corridors of power in Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif being a nationalist hard liner has no use for the West and has been belittled by beings described, by an American official, an Unknown Commodity in the west. He also could have been a formidable opponent to the Musharraf’s PML (Q), therefore would remain on the fringes for a while.
The rest of the article would concentrate on the main themes of, Democracy, foreign Influence, the doctrinal thinking and the mindset of those who impose or wish to impose those policies, across the board, on the rest of the world.
The logic furthered, to induct Benazir into the political drama, is the lack of civilian credibility of Musharraf’s rule. The credibility problem mainly stemmed from his bad judgment in the case of County’s Chief Justice but his half-hearted military operations in the tribal areas actually necessitated its use as a catalyst of change; since the present actions taken by him are deficient to Americans policy of state terrorism; designed to keep the ignorant, rascal multitudes in their place, preparing the ground for Latin American Experiment in Pakistan.
He was ill advised by inner circle of politicians and his legal advisors, who had witnessed the similar removals carried out in the past with ease, hence did not anticipate any back lash. This kind of decision, however seems very un characteristic of his personality. He actually put his hand in the bee hive, a most corrupt segment of the Pakistani Diaspora. People often remark
“Why to hire a lawyer when one can hire a judge”
Frequent, overt and covert, visits of western officials, throwing uncanny demands and applying all kind of pressures on Musharraf are indicative of ground being prepared for repeat of Latin American experiment.
Benazir, being product of feudalism-grand daughter and daughter of feudal, heading a political party filled with feudals and her constituents being helpless generational slaves of her ancestors, renders her insensitive to lament, anguish and sufferings of the people, making her the most suitable person to head the Managed-Capitalist-Democracy in Pakistan under the tutelage of the USA -- as experimented, “in our little area” in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras and several other countries-- a death blow to the poor People of Pakistan.
Benazir Offering Pak RS 5000/= (US $ 83.00) per person killed in the explosion is enough to show her mindset and the value she places on the human life.
It is dawning on US that Musharraf, beyond a certain degree, would be hard to be managed and eventually need to be replaced by an easy to handle stooge--like Panamanian colonel Eduardo Herrera Hassan- Successor to Noriega & Vincent Gomez of Venezuela who opened his country freely for foreign exploitation--to implement the order in absolute terms for harvesting the fruit of Latin American Experiment replicated in Pakistan. The abrupt transition, however would be very disruptive to the USA as Pakistan, through Musharraf, is being used for 80 percent of logistic support for operations in Afghanistan and Musharraf seems to understand it very well.
Exploitation is inevitable necessity for the US and the West for their
Economic and Political survival.
The function of the third world (now especially south) is to provide services for the rich, offering cheap labor, resources, markets, opportunities for investment and export of pollution, along with other amenities such as haven for drug money laundering and other unregulated financial operations” In the Indian sub continent Pakistan seems to be a picture perfect place according to above doctrine.
Every thing in Pakistan, at the moment, hangs in balance. The supreme court is at the cross road, grappling whether to allow Musharraf to continue as President under the doctrine of Necessity at the cost of its recently acquired independence and prestige OR else risk the imposition of Marshall Law or Emergency by Musharraf. The Supreme Court decision, in favor or against president Musharraf, would have very far reaching effects on the future of Pakistan. (1) (See note at the end)
The forced entry of Benazir in this situation is very alarming. Although, she is being inducted into the political scenario on the pretext of propping up Musharraf to continue in place but if Musharraf is gradually or abruptly eased out then she would, sooner or later, be the frontal figure. Pakistan, in that case, least to say, would be disgraced to a level of “insignificant rascal multitude Nation of third world” (2) (see note at the end)
Contrary to the western and within politician’s rhetoric the Democracy is not the fate of Pakistan but a “capitalist-managed-democracy” if at all, with free access to the western exploitations. Pakistanis, across the board, ironically do not have a clear understanding of Democracy. They demand it taking it as some kind of elixir or panacea which would emancipate them from their day to day problems. If they know the true face of it they would never demand it but only Islamic system of Government which is absolutely humane and all embracing way of life.
Here is how the stalwarts of the west envision the “Democracy”
17th Century political thinker Marchamont Nedham says
Ignorant persons, Neither of Learning nor Fortune being put in Authority, Given their freedom”, the “self-opinionated multitude” would elect “the lowest of the People” who would occupy themselves with “Milking and Gelding the Purses of the Rich” taking “ the ready Road to all licentiousness, mischief, mere Anarchy and Confusion”
These sentiments are the common coin of the modern political and intellectual discourses in the west. Jefferson and Madison believed that the Power should be in the hands of the “natural aristocracy”
In 1960 a trilateral commission, a very influential NGO in foreign policy matters of the western countries even today, issued a warning of Impending “Crisis of Democracy” as segments of the public sought to enter the political arena. This “Excess of Democracy” was posing a threat to the unhampered rule of the Privileged elites- What is called “Democracy”
Reinhold Niebuhr (an influential foreign affairs adviser) who was revered by George Kennan, the Kennedy intellectual and many others, wrote
Rationality belongs to the cool observers” while the common person follows not reason but faith. The cool observer must recognize “the stupidity of the average man” and must provide the “necessary illusion to keep them in thrall” and the “emotionally potent oversimplifications” that will keep the naïve simpleton on course. It remains necessary to protect the “lunatic or distracted person” the ignorant rabble, from their own “depraved and corrupt” judgments just as one does not allow a child to cross the road without supervision”.
The leading figure of the public relations, Edward Barney says that “the very essence of Democracy is “the freedom to persuade and suggest” what he calls “the engineering of the consent”
Walter Lippmann described a “revolution” in the “practice of democracy” as “the manufacture of consent” has become a “self conscious art and a regular organ of popular governments” This is natural development when public opinion can not be trusted. He further says Public men, the elites, should be protected from “ignorant and meddlesome outsiders: the general public who are incapable of dealing with the substance of the problems.
British Ministry of Information secretly defined its task as “to direct the thoughts of the most of the world”. Fifteen years later an influential political scientist Harold Lasswell explained that “when elite lack the requisite force to compel obedience, social managers must turn to “a whole new technique of control, largely through propaganda” He added that conventional justification: we must recognize the “ignorance and stupidity of the masses” and not succumb to “democratic dogmatisms about men being the best judges of their own interest”. They are not, and we must guide them, for their own good.
Doctrinal course universally pursued by the western elites is as follows:
stupid and ignorant masses must be kept, diverted with emotionally potent oversimplifications, marginalized and isolated, ideally, each person should be alone in front of the television screen watching sports, soap opera or comedies, deprived of organizational structures that permits individuals lacking resources to discover what they think and believe in interaction with others, to formulate their own concerns and programs, and to act to realize them. They can not be permitted, even encouraged to ratify their decisions of their betters in periodic elections. ( Its application extends equally to the foreign Heads of states when decisions are made or debated in International forums such as UN, World Bank and IMF etc).
Western Democracy can best be described as “American thrift store item” which people think salvages them but actually a ruthless capitalist middle man is stacking millions exploiting the sentiments of compassion of the Donors and the poverty of the Down-Trodden buyers, living in the richest, most civilized country of the world.
Grand Area.
(Historical background & nefarious designs)
Pakistan, as part of the third world, falls in the US State Department charted revised Grand Area, including Western (and now Eastern also) Europe. Far East, and the former British colonies, Latin America and the Pacific as a region, with few exceptions such as the Africa, which was left for the Western Europe to exploit, necessary for the world control. According to NSC-68 (a doctrinal document of US Govt) no corner of the world is so small and insignificant that it may be safely overlooked.
According to state department, Middle East energy resources are and will remain of primary concern and incorporated into the US dominated system.
Because it is “a stupendous source of strategic power, and one of the greatest material prize in world history” President Eisenhower described Middle East as the “Most strategically important area in the world”
Now the similar importance is being attached to newly independent Russian states who are rich in resources and could have easy access to hot waters through Pakistan. (See part-1Pakistan’s future hangs in Balance)
Owing to the changed dynamics, realities, such as Politico-economic decline of the west and the US, the focus is being intensified on South generally and on Pakistan particularly for panoptic reasons. According to some analysts and intellectuals’s opinions it is the most dynamic, crucial and dangerous, at the same time, area for the future and even survival of the west. Just to mention only one aspect, Islam has put the survival of the western culture twice in question. Third would, most probably, be decisively consequential. (A survey conducted in 1994 showed that 61% of the Americans felt threatened by the Islamic revival)
According a CIA report the gravest concern for the west is the establishment of Caliphate-Khilafah; which at the moment, though seems very far fetched and remote possibility but, in my opinion, there would come a time when Muslim world would have it as the only choice and would start contemplating its establishment.
Another dimension is its potential of being a Core state for the Muslim world. Pakistan has size, the population, and military prowess and its leaders, Musharraf to name the most recent one, have fairly consistently tried to claim a role as a promoter of cooperation among Islamic states and the speaker for Islam to the rest of the world. Pakistan, despite many internal problems, has become nuclear Power and has put itself on the road to economic prosperity owing to the current team of technocrats having international level of expertise employing prudent economic policies. It is developing the organizational competence to provide both political and religious leadership to the Ummah. It is called the Fort of Islam and Situated in the center of the most strategic region in the world. It is, however also situated in the most anti west region of the world therefore demanding very special attention.
It would not be wrong to suggest, that the survival of the western culture hinges upon the annihilation of the tribal culture of the Muslim world or it would be the other way around as the history and the circumstances support it. So far even the most lethal and far advanced technology and so called supreme intellect of the West has not been able to make a dent in it.
Noam chomasky has very aptly explained the policies being pursued and their main thrust as to why countries like Pakistan are important.
we must maintain our un impeded access to developing economic markets throughout the world and to resources needed to support our manufacturing requirements” “we must maintain an expeditionary force able to execute variety of missions from counterinsurgencies to psychological warfare
Keeping in mind the technological advances in weaponry available to the new regional powers that will spring up throughout the third world”
According to NSC 141, 1953 The growing technological sophistication of Third world conflicts will place serious demands on our forces and yet may continue to threaten our interest, particularly in the Middle East.
According to Dick Cheney ( Defense sec Jan 1990), shared by Bush senior, “ US will need large Navy ( as intervention forces generally) to deal with brushfire conflicts and threats to American interest in places like Latin America and Asia” Two month later National Security Strategy report sent to congress described the Third world as probable Locus of Conflicts.
Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and North Korea, in the south, are causing western foreign policies experts to spin their heads and have lot of sleepless nights.
If we put it in a broader prospective it can be said that at macro level the clash is between the west (primarily US) and the rest whereas at micro level it boils down to a strait of Islam vs. Christianity.
During the fifteen years between 1980 and 1995 there had been seventeen military operations in the Middle East all directed against the Muslim.
(US Defense dept)
The role of the third world within the Grand area structure is to serve the needs of the industrial societies. George Kennan remarked that “ since the threat to our interests is indigenous we must realize that the final answer might be unpleasant one ,police repression by local governments, Harsh government measures of repression should cause no qualms as long as the results are favorable to our purpose”
The major threat to US interest is posed by nationalistic regimes who are responsive to the popular pressures for improvements in low living standards of masses and hence diversification of economies. Nationalism in whatever shape or color, ultra nationalism, economic nationalism, radical nationalism is unacceptable to the west.
Restoring Shah of Iran by overthrowing the Nationalist Mossadegh’s government by CIA backed coup leaving 40% share of Iranian oil to American oil companies is one such example. Other examples are those
of Arbenz’s Guatemala, Allend’s Chile and Sandanista’s Nicaragua.
In Pakistan 60 % of the economy is in multinational’s hands, and it is still growing. Musharraf’s Government recently has extended the tax holiday to these multinational for another term.
Developing countries having rich resource like Pakistan, from the west’s stand point, must learn an object lesson in the heavy cost which must be paid by one of their number which goes berserk with fanatical nationalism. This lesson would certainly strengthen the hands of “far sighted and reasonable leaders” of the third world like Benazir.
Pakistan in also being subjected to the directives of the de facto board of management of the North, through World Bank, IMF and other institutions, for the world economy. Protecting the interests of the North therefore leaves the plundered countries to face the wrath, even the violence of their own deprived people as in Latin America. Bretton woods institutions such as World Bank and IMF, on one hand, operate in secret, forcing the developing countries like Pakistan to be subordinated to the whims and demands of the investors, with public put in place and threat of democracy reduced.
On the other, these institutions are center of gravity for the economic decisions which gravely affect the developing countries. These institutions are fraught by undemocratic character, lack of pluralism and transparency in their dealings and debate of the ideas coupled with the condescending incompetence to influence the economic decisions of the industrialized countries.
A trinity of World Bank, IMF and GATT along with IDB of USA, Agency for international development, European Development, and UN Development Program have much greater influence than even the market forces on the developing countries.
Family dictatorships or totalitarian regimes such as in Saudi Arabia and Egypt are considered appropriate to serve best the interest of the US to fund the US Projects of terror and subversion throughout the world. The glaring example is the Terrible Trio of US, Saudi Arabia and Israel operating in various parts of the world. Saudi Arabia Funding US arms supply through Israel to elements in Iranian military, who it was hoped would over through the Iranian government. The Arab facades are much revered and loved by all US administrations since they help fuel the economies of the west. They are protected endangered species which need be protected from Saddams and Ayatollahs in the neighborhood.
Dilip Hiro writes that United States opposes democracies in this region because it is much simpler to manipulate few ruling individuals-to secure fat orders for arms and oil price manipulation-than wide variety of personalities and policies marred with obstacles of a democratic system.
The Arab Facade is used as long as they are useful otherwise crushed as Shah of Iran, Saddam Hussein. Henry Kissinger, a ruthless genocidal killer, have acidly said “ foreign policy is not to be confused with missionary work”
Israel had been much actively involved in Latin America where US was restricted due to Human rights legislation passed by congress. Now Israel is present in India, Iraq and Afghanistan, basically building a barricade around Pakistan and would be actively engaged again when ordered, as in Nicaragua and elsewhere in Latin America. Strategic co-operation is best defined as “My master gives me food to eat and I bite those whom he tells me to bite”.
What I have so far said about democracy, western hegemony, and economic imperialism could well be summed up as follow.
No new paradigms are needed to make sense of what is happening. The basic rules remain the same as have always been: the rule of law for the weak, the rule of force for the strong; the principles of economic rationality for the weak, state power and intervention for the strong. Privilege and power do not willingly submit to popular control or market discipline and therefore seek to undermine meaningful democracy (I would rather say the present system of government, as there is no such thing as meaningful democracy) to bend the rules to their special needs.
(Power can defend itself. In practice, the capitalist ethic treat freedom as a commodity, a lot is available in principle, and one can have what he can buy)
Latin America.
Let us now turn to the Latin America to exemplify my horrifying concerns in the face of western designs to Rob and Plunder Pakistan. I would touch on few countries as briefly as possible.
To start with, here are the devilish/doctrinal thought of John Foster Dulles.
Secretary of state John Foster Dulles advised President Eisenhower that Latin America should be made to accept US plans for their future as a source of raw material and profit for US Corporations parting a little bit of it for them to make them think you are fond of them.
Few regions of the world have been so dominated by a great power as Central America, which emerged from its usual oblivion in 1980s. Popular movements inspired by church’s new orientation towards the poor and dispossessed with options posed a challenge to the traditional order. After decades of brutal repression and destruction due to the US aid programs. The turning point was the overthrow of Somoza dictatorship. Then the violent repressions and state terrorism by so many groups unleashed and after a decade the desired order of the US was restored. The misery of the vast majority had deepened. The Power of the military and privileged was enhanced under the façade of democracy. Some 200,000 people were killed. Countless maimed, tortured, disappeared, driven from their homes. The damage done was beyond repair for generations to come.
Kennedy Initiatives in Latin America 1960s.
Ushered in what is known in Latin America as the National Security Doctrine, No defense against an external enemy, but a way to make the military establishment the masters of the game…(with) the right to combat the internal enemy, as set forth in the Brazilian doctrine, the Uruguayan doctrine, and the Colombian doctrine: it is right to fight and to exterminate social workers , trade unionists, men and women who are not supportive of the establishment, who are assumed to be communist extremists. And this could mean anyone, including human rights activists”
This doctrine then continued Under Regan and Bush administration and is still on course. The phrase ‘Communist” has however has been replace with
Islamist, Extremist & Terrorist”
Colombia. Vasquez Carrizosa (President of Human rights Colombia)
Behind the façade of constitutional regime we have a militarized society under the state or siege provided by the 1886 Constitution. The constitution grants rights having no relations to the reality. In this context poverty and insufficient land reforms have made Colombia the most tragic countries of Latin America” The prevailing misery violence and impoverished majority without income and political participation has been caused by mass indoctrination. “The story has another common thread. External factor, in 1960s US, under Kennedy, took great pain to transform the regular armies into counterinsurgency brigades with the Death Squads”
Dominican Republic.
Juan Bosch, a life long Marxist, elected in first free and fair elections held after a very long time in 1963 was removed from the office in a military coup. The elections process was delayed due to US repeated interventions supporting the torturer and murderer by Trujillo until he faltered and started encroaching on American interests and eliminated. He was soon replaced by new military regime. When the people of Dominican Republic rose to restore the constitutional regime they faced 23,000 strong US troops.
A desired regime of death squads, torture, repression, slave labor conditions, increase in poverty and malnutrition and vast emigration was established. The free elections of 1966 were tolerated only when the level playing field for its investors with huge profits was secured.
In Dominican Republic in 1965 direct invasion was required to bar the restoration of a constitutional regime, and to put it on road to managed Democracy. It was only after years of death squad killings, torture and takeover by US corporations what had not been acquired during earlier occupations. On an island blessed with varied mineral resources, fertile soil, and plentiful fish and fowl, Jan Knippers Black observes, an ingenious and industrious people continues to struggle with little relief or progress against the ravages of hunger and disease, and the country remains a virtual appendage of the United States, lacking even minimal independence with no escape from the misery for general population.
El-Salvador.
After the assassination of Father Ignacio country was left with 40.000 corpses lettering the streets, treasury robbed, economy devastated and country left in ruins. National Guards were driven out and new popular forces were mobilized, thereby creating a hope. Church based self help groups; Union, peasant associations and other such organizations were offering a hope to the devastated people due to grinding poverty and repression.
Guatemala.
Guatemala was compelled to defend itself against the US threatened attack, thereby creating an excuse of threat to US security which was then exploited to ruin the Guatemalan economy to provoke military coup or communist takeover. It will then justify our violent response-in self defense.
Extreme Poverty in Guatemala increased from 45 percent to 76 percent during 1985 to1988 after the establishment of democracy. The rest of the details are so graphic and gruesome that I would not have the heart to detail them out here. A lone honest voice of Joachim Maitre of Boston University observed that “US has installed democracies in central Americas of the style of Hitler Germany in El-Salvador and Guatemala”
Honduras.
In neighboring Honduras the elections were held in 1989. The elections were effectively restricted to two traditional parties. One candidate from a family of wealthy industrialist and the other from a family of land owners.
These elections were hailed in US media as a milestone for the United States as the democracy is taking hold in Central America. Both the candidates have close ties with the military which in turn is heavily dependent on US, as is the economy. Participation in the voting was ritualistic as the security forces escalated the violence as the elections approached. Target was Union leaders, independent candidates, journalists.
In preceding months the armed forces unleashed violent killing of political leaders and others leaving the bodies on the road side for the first time. Concentration of wealth in few hands increased during the decades of Democracy, malnutrition, starvation, misery increased to 70 percent. Economy is collapsing, with the capital flight and a sharp drop in foreign investment and almost half of the earnings going to debt servicing. But there is no threat to the order or the profit flow.
Now the murderous gangsters run the government both in Colombia and Honduras and are yet praiseworthy of being democracies. Elite opinion expresses considerable pride for these charnel houses. So called free and fair elections were held after the usual torture, killing, disappearances and mutilations and other effective devices of control.
Nicaragua.
(A test case in the history of subversion and state terrorism, the obsession of the 1980s.)
According to Jose Figueres Sandinistas brought the first such government in its history, popularly elected in fair and free elections. A government that cares for its people. Which initiated a through out debate, how to bring Nicaragua to the ‘Central American Mode” and impose “Regional Standards” those of the US client states. James Baker remarked “Nicaragua under the Sandinistas was a totalitarian society and a communist dictatorship, where we must intervene massively to assure that elites responsive to US interest Prevail as in the region”
Nicaragua was ruled by nationalists and social reforms were taking place which heightened the loss of US control of the security forces eliminating the standard tools of repression.
But Alas! The hope was reduced to ashes by the Regan Administration and his accomplices. Regan administration turned to the task of dismantling the peace accords which were signed in august 1987and resumed illegal supply of arms three times more to the contras. It kept the proxy forces in the field in violation of the accords to maximize the violence and disruption for making the people of Nicaragua to understand that the removal of the Sandinistas is the only way they can have decent survival. Honduras was used to supply the soviet style arms to Sandanistas to create a proof against them violating the agreement. Acre then explained that “we attacked lot of schools, health centers, and those sorts of things. We tried to make it so that the Nicaraguan government cannot provide social services for the peasants, cannot develop its projects….that is the idea” The low level terror and economic strangulation continued until Nicaragua achieved democracy-- that is until political power passed to the businesses and land owner elites linked to the United States. Allowing the US corporations to rob the country of its meager resources. In the long scheduled elections of 1990 US interfered massively to gain the victory for its candidate with enormous financial aid. White House announcement that only a victory by the US candidate would bring an end to the illegal US economic sanctions and restoration of aid or watch your children starve, In short the Daniel Ortega had to go and the cost was paid by the unimportant people of Nicaragua.
Panama is yet another glaringly classical example of direct intervention By US Special Forces abducting Manuel Noriega, who was on CIA payroll before falling from favor. The Panamanian Defense Force received a lavish praise from George Shultz and Its Head Colonel Eduardo Herrera Hassan was most brutal general, a favorite of the Americans and diplomatic establishment, whose armies gassed, beat and tortured civilians protesters against Noreiga. A Most brutal repressor in Panamanian History remembered by July 10th 1987-- called Black Friday.
After the Us Invasion Hospital directors reported that the morgues were overflowing from the very first day and appealed to Latin America and Europe to send medical equipment because” the United States in only giving us bullets” The lack of interest in civilian killings was shared by Congress but passed a resolution commending Bush for handling the invasion and expressing the death of 23 Americans. Manuel Noreiga has recently been released from Miami jail where he served his prison sentence awarded to him by US court. A foreign head of state, abducted by force and then sentenced by US court--a rare anomaly.
Conclusive thoughts.
An editorial in El Tiempo bitterly denounce the “International totalitarianism” of George Bush “in the guise of democracy” Bush has declared plainly to Latin America that for the North American Governments there is no law --only its will--when imposing its designs on the hemisphere”
A Columnist call ….“Just cause”
Coarse grotesque euphemism, neither more nor less than an imperialist invasion of Panama…. We live in a climate of aggression and disrespect… hurt by our poverty, our weakness, our naked dependence, the absolute submission of our feeble nation to the service of an implacable super power. Latin America is in Pain.
Note. Paragraph marked 1&2 were written before Musharraf imposed Emergency/Martial law and sacked the Supreme Court justices.
Provisional Constitutional Order issued laying down the restrictions, suspension of civil rights and Media from airing the Programs.
The main reason, among several others, for this step is to stop Supreme Court from giving verdict against Musharraf’s eligibility as President.
References/ Acknowledgement.
Material consulted/used in the preparation of this article.
Clash of Civilizations by Samuel Huntington.
Deterring Democracy & World Order Old and New
Both by Noam Chomasky.
Several other research papers and reports.
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