Pakistan To Press Ahead With Elections

President Musharraf Decides Against Imposing State Of Emergency, Minister Says

(AP) 
Obama "remains concerned about the situation and has and will continue to underscore his commitment to maintaining a close working relationship with Pakistan, an important ally against terrorism," according to a statement from his spokesman, Bill Burton. "Part of any working relationship must be a candid and frank discussion of our shared interests in fighting terrorism, increasing regional stability, and promoting democracy."

More than 360 people have died in a wave of suicide attacks and clashes between militants and security forces that began with a bloody army assault on a pro-Taliban mosque in Islamabad in early July.

The government's acknowledgment that the possibility was under discussion appeared to deepen the sense of crisis surrounding the military ruler, who took power in a 1999 coup.

Political analyst Talat Masood said that if Musharraf had imposed a state of emergency, it would be an act of desperation that would doubtless be challenged in the courts, and could trigger a public backlash.

"This is his weapon of last resort," Masood said. "But it would be a weapon of mass destruction, of mass political destruction."

A state of emergency would give Musharraf sweeping powers, including the ability to restrict people's freedom to move, rally, engage in political activities and assert their fundamental rights through the courts.

Yet the Supreme Court, which has emerged as the most potent check on the military leader's dominance of Pakistani politics, could still challenge the legality of such a declaration.

Last week, a bench of the court freed a political opponent of Musharraf, and on Thursday heard a freedom of movement case lodged by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is seeking to return from exile to run in parliamentary elections. Sharif went into exile after Musharraf ousted him in a 1999 coup.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke with Musharraf by phone, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, declining to describe the conversation.

He said the United States believes Musharraf is committed to maintaining the rule of law and implementing democratic reform.

"President Musharraf and the Pakistani government have an interest and they have demonstrated that they want to operate within its laws and Pakistan's constitution," McCormack said.

Musharraf is under growing U.S. pressure to crack down on militants at the Afghan border because of fears that al Qaeda is regrouping there.

The Bush administration has also not ruled out unilateral military action inside Pakistan, but has stressed the need to work with Musharraf.

Another exiled former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, who was widely reported to have met with Musharraf recently in the United Arab Emirates to discuss a power-sharing deal, told Geo TV a declaration of emergency would be "a negative step for the restoration of democracy."

Under Pakistan's Constitution, the president may declare a state of emergency if it is deemed the country's security is "threatened by war or external aggression, or by internal disturbance beyond" the authority of provincial government's authority to control.

[sjc_1]

I am surprised but glad to see that he is doing this. The stability of Pakistan is important to the region and to us. I hope the election is fair and a clear indication of where the Pakistani people want to go. I think that the old post cold war politics is changing. It took a while to come about, but I think that it is finally under way.

[tbweb]

I've always liked President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, he seems like a very wise Leader to me. Forgoing a State of Emergency and holding free and fair elections in Pakistan is a brilliant move on his part. I hope he wins the election, it will erase the way he came to power and win him the support he needs to handle Pakistan's very complicated problems. Good for you President Musharraf!!

[j-whitman]

Excuse me,,, I made the same mistake Bush did, Iran Iraq - 1 letter off

Bush accuses Iran of destabelizing Iraq --- LOL
Must be advanced Lyme Disease symptems are showing

[j-whitman]

gslinglinger3,,,, You notice something odd about Bush today ????

While all our diplomatic efforts are trying to bring in Iran into the solution as per all our our advisors, Congress & the Iraq Study Group ---- Maliki goes to Iran to get help stabilizing his country & gets the help -------- Bush is yelling at them today, don't deal with Iran

BUSH ACCUSES IRAN OF DESTABELIZING IRAN --- LOL

[toldyouso21]

The first naive, irresposible, irrational American Leader to create a condition of chaos in the Middle East was George Bush. Now another grossly, unqualified aspirant to the Office of President has put a US Ally in the crosshairs of islamic Extremists. Barrack Obama's juvenility has increased the likelihood that a Muslim Country with nuclear capabilities could be taken over by a regime antagonistic to the United States. The planet cannot tolerate such vast incompetence on the part of another Leader of the Free World.
Posted by dbl06 at 11:52 AM : Aug 09, 2007


Barack Obama SAID what George Bush already did--or have you forgotten the Pakistani village Bush bombed in 2006 (while looking for a terrorist) OR the madras schools in northern Pakistan that we bombed last year and this year? How convenient and hypocritical one's memories can be. And no, I am not a fan of Obama...but I am an even less fan of blatant deception and lies.

[toldyouso21]

"What was the first major challenge for the f-14's design ? Who was the company that got the contract, and why did they have a leg up on that challenge? What was the first major flaw with the F-14 and what happened as a result of the inadequacy to those aircraft when they experienced a problem with the flawed part ?
whitman - you are full of it. You no more tore apart F-14s than my mother did. You are the quintesential lair....
Anything less than 80% and we'll know you are BSing. anything more than 5 minutes to respond and we'll know you had to look it up on the net. oh, BTW, this is all available on public TV, and was only telecast last night. All answers were given by the folks tearing them apart. Impress us - dude. "
Posted by speakinup at 07:31 PM : Aug 08, 2007

If a person took apart something, that does not mean they are an expert on it, it could just mena they were trained to take something apart. Your remrks is like thinking a ship welder can answer questuions about maritime history or a nurse is now a definitive expert on medical history or a chef now knows the history of food, or a mechanic the history of the automobile.

There are theoreticians, tacticians and practitioners none of which invaidate the other. I daresay that even people who may have been taught the information you are asking may not have retained it if it was not necessary to do their job.

[j-whitman]

gslinglinger3 ---- Maybe there wouldn't be a "BUSH DYSFUNCTIONAL SYNDROME" if Bush wasn't "DYSFUNCTIONAL"

Bush symptoms for his Lyme Disease :
Confusion, difficulty thinking, Dificulty with consentration, reading, problem solving & absorming new information -- Word speach, name block, forgetfullness, poor short term memory, poor attention, disorentation, getting lost, going to wrong places, mispeaking, mood swings, irratability, depression -- Psychosis (halucinations, delusions, paranoia & bipolar)
--- Lyme Disease Association, Inc.

[red164]

Grover Glenn Norquist (born October 19, 1956) is an American conservative activist.

Norquist has been noted for his widely quoted quip: "I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.


This is what some Republicans want to do to the US Government and you know what they%u2019re succeeding.


Norquist has been noted for his widely quoted quip: "I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.

China threatens to trigger US dollar crash

BEIJING: The Chinese government has begun a concerted campaign of economic threats against the United States, hinting that it may liquidate its vast holding of US treasury bonds if Washington imposes trade sanctions to force a yuan revaluation.

Two Chinese officials at leading Communist Party bodies have given interviews in recent days warning, for the first time, that Beijing may use its $1,330 billion (658 billion pounds) of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the US Congress. Shifts in Chinese policy are often announced through key think tanks and academies.

Described as China%u2019s %u2018nuclear option%u2019 in the state media, such action could trigger a dollar crash at a time when the US currency is breaking down through historic support levels.

[red164]

Posted by risr at 11:19 AM : Aug 09, 2007

Firefighter John Schroeder, assigned to Engine Company 10 directly across the street from the World Trade Center complex, holds back tears and describes his first-hand experience on Sept. 11th in an emotive interview with We Are Change and Loose Change.

WATCH THE VIDEO INTERVIEW


9/11 Commission Ignored Firefighter's Account of Explosions Inside WTC
Schroeder's compelling testimony contradicts official story at every turn
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet
Thursday, August 9, 2007


Astounding and compelling testimony from a brave 9/11 firefighter that was ignored by the 9/11 Commission has added further weight to the already overwhelming evidence that the twin towers were brought down by means of explosives.

Firefighter John Schroeder, assigned to Engine Company 10 directly across the street from the World Trade Center complex, holds back tears and describes his first-hand experience on Sept. 11th in an emotive interview with We Are Change and Loose Change.

Much of Schroeder's testimony directly contradicts the official story and the 9/11 Commission, to which he spoke but was ignored.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/august2007/090807_firefighters_account.htm

[red164]

The Republicans like this man are traitors they%u2019re the ones that pose the biggest threat to Americas constitution.

Grover Glenn Norquist (born October 19, 1956) is an American conservative activist. He currently serves as president of anti-tax lobbying group Americans for Tax Reform.

Norquist has been noted for his widely quoted quip: "I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.

Norquist has been close friends with Abramoff since college, when he ran Abramoff%u2019s successful campaign to become national chairman of the College Republicans.

[edit] Alleged links to radical Islamists and terrorism
In 1998, Norquist founded the Islamic Free Market Institute[18] (sometimes just called the "Islamic Institute") with money from a number of sources, mainly in the Middle East. One of the early major contributors was Abdurahman Alamoudi, the founder of the American Muslim Council. Alamoudi appears to have contributed $35,000 to the Islamic Institute.[19] Alamoudi was convicted of illegal dealings with Libya, tax, and immigration violations on July 30, 2004, and was sentenced to 23 years in jail.

Norquist has been linked to Florida professor and Muslim activist Sami Al-Arian. On March 2, 2006, Al-Arian pled guilty to one count of conspiracy "to make or receive contributions of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad."

[dbl06]

The first naive, irresposible, irrational American Leader to create a condition of chaos in the Middle East was George Bush. Now another grossly, unqualified aspirant to the Office of President has put a US Ally in the crosshairs of islamic Extremists. Barrack Obama's juvenility has increased the likelihood that a Muslim Country with nuclear capabilities could be taken over by a regime antagonistic to the United States. The planet cannot tolerate such vast incompetence on the part of another Leader of the Free World.

[risr-2009]

If we did not invade iRaq, saddam and OBBama were going to nuke us in 45 minutes. Plus who do you think sent that anthrax the same day as irag plowed their planes into NY City. Do you lieberals want us to be nuked by Obbamaa Bin Laden? They found all those weapons alquaida had in Northern irag but no one every talks about that. Why? Because the lieberals are afraid of the TRUTH!!! Bush saved us from Nuclear war! And you hate him for that!!

[tomar0317]

Had our government stayed where they should have in Afganistan and finished the Taliban and AQ off when they could have this would be a mute situation.

[gslinger3]

WARNING! WARNING! YOU ARE IN DANGER OF BEING EXPOSED TO BUSH DYSFUNCTIONAL SYNDROME. PLESE EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION IF YOU CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMENT SECTION!! SYMPTOMS OF THIS DANGEROUS SYNDROME CAN INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
INABILITY TO REASON, INABILITY TO RATIONALISE, INABILITY TO EXERCISE COMMON SENSE, CONSTANT URGES TO STRIKE OUT AT ANYONE LEFT OF FAR LEFT, DESIRE TO ABORT UNWANTED PREGNANCY'S, DESIRE TO REMOVE GOD FROM ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE, AND MOST OF ALL, THE UNCONTROLLABLE URGE TO BLAME PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH FOR EVERY PROBLEM THIS EARTH FACES!

[usadvisor101]

have you all seen any documentaries or interviews about musharraf??

he does a very good job of explaining his position in pakistan. I dont think he is as unpopular as people think. there are many in pakistan that want to modernize and avoid the religous mutants. they now its the only way to grow and survive in the future.


look at the islamic nutcases that he has captured, more than any other nation !!!

he just cant go and start commiting genocide against his people, he has to balance out his actions, but yet be firm. its a very difficult position to be in.

there is no just.....send in the troops and get them solution.

study the terrain, you soon realize some of these mountainous areas are only accessible by the indigenous people of the area. even the pakistani army just cant GO IN AND GET THEMS TERRORIST !!!!

[clestes-2009]

OK, let's look at what has happened in the last week.

Bush makes comments about how the US and Pakistan are going to defeat the terrorist/al-quida TOGETHER.

A day later, Bush makes comments about bombing Pakistan whenever he feels the need, with no prior communication to Pakistan. This causes a wave of anti-American feeling across the country. Musharraf is already unpopular because of his ties to Bush and the economic instability rampant in the country.

Musharraf, feeling the heat from the public and angry that Bush would slap him in the face, says he won't attend the meeting in Afganistan. And claims he would be killed. Since attempts on his life have already been tried TWICE, there is no reason to think that isn't a true claim!!!

Bush, desperate to keep Musharraf under his control, dispatches Condi to, quote "pressure to crack down on militants at the Afghan border"

This is another example Bush's clumsy attempts to control what happens in the middle east. Since he took office and since the invasion in 2003, the middle east has become a WAR-ZONE. Nothing he has done there has been good.

Of course, Bush could care less what Musharraf thinks. According to him, pursuing the terrorist is his DIVINE ORDERED DUTY. His higher power wants America to bully the middle east into submission using American military might.

He has said this plainly. I think it shows he is more unhinged than ever!!!!!

[usadvisor101]

Rumours say that the CIA had planned the killing of the Chinese in Pakistan with a purpose to tensify the relation between China and Pakistan
I just read it on a newspaper.
Posted by viper9527 at 04:01 AM : Aug 09, 2007



there are so many conspiracy theories out there, where does one begin????


got to be over a thousand !!!

most of them assume bush and his evil luminati are smart, thats where they fall short !!!!!

[usadvisor101]

radio,,,, As far as ending the war goes, dems are woring hard, the floor of the Senate & Congress can be a battle ground.... Notice for the 1t time even republicans are talking withdrawal ?? It's largly because of pressure from constituents & democrats...
.. If we started withdrawal tomorrow it would take till the end of next year just to take out 4 battallions, anoter 2 years for anything substantial.... Dems will continue fighting

Posted by j-whitman at 11:46 PM : Aug 08, 2007



you made some good points today about congress and THE WITHDRAW !!!

yes, there is no such thing as a total withdraw, right away.

the sad thing is if bush, had any common sense, he would have been tactically withdrawing us armed forces to outlying areas, about two years ago. he actually could have claimed(tried to atleast) success, and we could have been half way out by now. then if things got worse,he can blame everyone else from clinton to the media(which is what they are going to do)

he would think of such tactics IF HE CARED ABOUT THE WELL BEING OF IRAQIS !!! but he dont, all he cares about is controling the oil flow in iraq. thats why he has 1/3 of the effort watching oil lines and facilities !!!!

[infidel_us]

Thanks Obama.......maybe you should stick with mopping floors.

Crack down on militants?

Wasn't GW Bush the one who claimed that Bin Laden was no longer important and allowed him to escape by pulling resources in Afghanistan?