Musharraf's "Second Coup" In Pakistan

Leader Invokes Lincoln In Announcing State Of Emergency; Bhutto Warns Of Civil War

(CBS/AP)  In the 24 hours since President Gen. Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency, Pakistan appears to have inched closer to the precipice of chaos.

Around the country, human rights organizations have been shut down. Musharraf has ordered the arrest of more than a thousand political opponents and lawyers. Some, including the fired head of the Supreme Court, are under house arrest, reports CBS News foreign correspondent Sheila MacVicar. Other have been sent to prison.

Streets in the capital are closed off; the route to the Supreme Court is blocked. Independent news media remain silenced. And criticizing the president or the prime minister is now a crime, adds MacVicar.

The government said they need these measures in order to combat rising extremism. Musharraf said he was forced to suspend the constitution in order to fight growing Islamic extremism, and required "harmony" among the three branches of government in order to fight terrorism.

There have been a series of spectacular attacks recently, most notably the two suicide bombers who attacked former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's convoy when she returned from exile a couple of weeks ago.

Others would point out that Musharraf benefits from suspending the constitution by emergency decree and in particular getting rid of the Supreme Court. One of the key decisions on the court's plate was to rule on the legality of his re-election as president.

Now, as Musharraf faced his critics at home and abroad, he quoted another president facing a divided nation, Abraham Lincoln.

Addressing the Pakistan people on television last night, he briefly spoke in English, appealing directly to America: "Inaction at this moment is suicide for Pakistan and I cannot allow this country to commit suicide."

The general defended his decision with a quote from Lincoln: "By general law life and limb must be protected; yet often a limb must be amputated to save a life."

Suspending basic rights and sacking independent-minded judges may buy Musharraf more time in power, but his assumption of emergency powers could ultimately destabilize Pakistan further and embolden Islamic militants.

Opposition leader Benezir Bhutto agreed that Musharraf's actions amounted to a "second coup." In an interview with CBS News correspondent Dave Browde, she said this latest action against the country's judiciary and to declare a new provisional constitution will lead to protests. "I know that the judges are not going to take this lying down, the lawyers aren't going to take this lying down.

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Listen to the CBS News interview with Bhutto

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"It's very important that General Musharraf be pressed to restore the constitution, to release the political prisoners, respect the judiciary and hold elections under an independent election commission."

Bhutto was worried about the impact of yesterday's events on Pakistan, telling Browde that extremists could exploit the situation to their own advantage, and that if Musharraf stays on his present course, chaos would ensue "in a day or two."

"If elections are postponed it bodes very ill for the nation that as extremist supporters gain more time, our country could be facing not only an Islamic takeover but really a civil war."

However, CBS News regional consultant Jere Van Dyk, now in Afghanistan, believes Bhutto is incorrectly assessing the potential for civil war. "She's trying to tap fear in the West by saying that there is a possibility of civil war. The civil war has been going on now for the last four months, particularly in the western regions of Pakistan, which is why Gen. Musharraf called for this emergency rule.

"The militancy along the frontier has spread, just like these wildfires in Southern California, closer and closer if you will to settled areas, urban areas, civilization," Van Dyk said. "In the last four months 800 people were killed in suicide attacks throughout the country. General Musharraf said, 'Enough, I've got to stop it.'

"There's no way that there will be a civil war with all the military and all the police in the streets today," Van Dyk notes.

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad is advising caution for Americans in the country, however, recommending all U.S. citizens stay in their residences.

U.S. To Review Aid To Terror-Fighting Ally
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday the U.S. will review its aid to Pakistan after the country's military ruler suspended the constitution. Her announcement puts in question some of the billions in U.S. assistance to a close terrorism-fighting ally.

On a Mideast trip now overshadowed by the unfolding crisis in nuclear-armed Pakistan, Rice suggested that the Bush administration would not suspend aid wholesale.

The U.S. has provided about $11 billion to Pakistan since 2001, when Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, made a strategic shift to ally with the United States after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Some of the aid that goes to Pakistan is directly related to the counterterrorism mission," Rice told reporters traveling with her. "We just have to review the situation. But I would be very surprised if anyone wants the president to set aside or ignore" the responsibility to national security that can come through such cooperation, she said.

The top U.S. diplomat said she had not spoken directly with Musharraf since he announced what she called "extraconstitutional" moves on Saturday.

Western allies will find it increasingly awkward to support a military leader who twice seized power by force and has become a hated figure to many at home.

[ubrew12]

Musharraf is clearly targetting the judicial branch of government, that branch that represents codified ethics in governance (ie the law as written). This makes Musharraf ''the law''. Suppporters of the unitary presidency in America might want to take a look at where that leads.

[condumism]

I beleive we can all say the the Republicon/Neocon so called war on terror, war on anything to divert the publics attention away from the grand theft of the US treasury, is another jonGOPig failure. In November, 2008, we will put an end to the jinGOpig Nazis of ever having control of this once great country ever again.

[missingamerica]

I bet Bush is foaming at the mouth with jealousy; he''s stuck with trying to stack the Supreme Court instead of just incarcerating the ones who disagree with him.

[walt1944-2009]

Sounds like what is happening in Pakistan right now, could be happening here tomorrow! Why is it, when dictators head full tilt into dictatorship, they always say "Lincoln did it, why can''t we?" If I remember my history, Lincoln went to the Congress FIRST to get approval for his actions and above all, he didn''t suspend the Constitution and arrest anyone who spoke out against him.

I am sure that the Great Emperor Bush II is really taking notes on how Musharref is handling his "crises" to see if he can pull the same thing off here! A lot can happen in 13 months and we all know that Bush is irrational enough to turn what''s left of our "democracy" into dictatorship overnight.

All those who fought and died in all wars since the Revolutionary War have to be crying in their graves over what could happen here tomorrow!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[downtowner97]

Remember those antrax letters? Few do. They were sent out during the time our representatives and senators were supposed to be reading the Patriot Act to decide whether they wanted to sign it. They ended up signing it because they didn''''t want anthrax. The ONLY thing we know about that antrax is that it was produced in a US military facility. There was a bigger effort to go after steroid use in pro sports than there was to find out who mailed the antrhax. The Patriot Act gives our president AND vice president dictator-like powers.

How is the situation in Pakistan that different from what is happening in the US?

[flipantflaw]

'' .. if not for spankings, then hell .. ''

'' .. tax them & refuse them free food & remind them that, without taxation, there would be no free food .. ''

'' .. first world countys are full of fat lazy folk with no free lunch, third worlds are starving rotting masses w/ more free lunch than the world can swallow .. ''

'' .. invest everything in small, chronically bankrupt medias and governments dedicated to ''tax everyone & feed no one except felons'', most felons being three years old w/ all spankings, no trials, no food, & injury / death plenty .. or, in small, chronically bankrupt paupers, invest, by example, fortunes worth of shortest term time share business plans for the purpose of feeding the masses .. ''

'' .. the countys with the 300 pay-per-meal feeding troughs are riddled with well fed & eager volunteers, while those with 300 free feeding troughs are forever empty .. ''

'' .. as the smallest piece of forever is as big as the largest, removing the smallest just can''t be done, joking .. ''

'' .. even containing me, forever is yours .. not containing me, it can never be .. ''

'' .. shreded by the flimsy breaths of enemys & ceaselessly tickled by the crunching of my bones by friends, & vice versa, & for infinite lines resolution w/ infinite exponents & infinitely fast refresh rates w/ infinitely fast exponents .. ''

[flipantflaw]

'' ... relax, your a dressed educated moral man in the war to take all the tax money market share armor weapons alcohol and parades away from lazy naked ignorant profane blemished promiscuous girls ... ''

'' .. the grape vine drives the podium, not vice versa .. ''

'' ... that''s entrapment, congress cannot be a bunch of naked kids running around punishing all the dressed adults they themselves sent out to spank a bunch of naked kids ... ''

[shanev137]

I''m surprised this hasn''t happen in the US yet. Oh, and look for oil prices to go up another $20 or $30 bucks a barrel on Monday.

[flipantflaw]

'' ... i deserve the option to scream kill all the jews and dare all the kids without whole *** armys screaming, ''girl, yes girl, kill the jews and dare the kids or else, girl, yes girl'' ... ''

'' ... that''s entrapment, congress cannot be a bunch of naked kids running around punishing all the dressed adults they themselves sent out to spank a bunch of naked kids ... ''

'' ... relax, your a dressed educated moral man in the war to take all the tax money market share armor weapons alcohol and parades away from lazy naked ignorant profane blemished promiscuous girls ... ''

'' ... the grapevine drives the podium, not vice versa ... ''

[toldyouso21]

Instead of giving Pakistan 150 million dollars each month, that money should be put in irrevocable trust fund for Social Security each month--this time, with the stipulation that Congress cannot steal it or otherwise "borrow" it in any fashion or use any surplus or interest accrued. America is doing a good job of helping everyone EXCEPT her own citizens. We seem to be good for using to extract taxes and money from--then discarded while business make more profits by outsourcing, insourcing and financing suspect regimes overseas.

[tbweb]

Pres. Gen. Pervez Musharraf did not need to declare this action to hold on to power, no Coup was necessary, he had already won a new 5 year term in fair elections. The only issue with his victory is weather he should have stepped down as head of the military first and in the bigger scheme of things that "glitch" is really not all his opponents are making it out to be, for example, the U.S. President is both President and head of the military too and U.S. Founders saw a need for it to be that way for a reason, while its true Pakistans setup is slightly different, the idea is the same! As long as Osama bin Laden is in Pakistan close to Pakistans nuclear weapons I don''t have a problem with this action, Pakistans largest cities are now under attack and unrest in the past was restricted to Tribal areas, this is new! Pres. Musharraf should let U.S. Forces into Pakistan to go after Osama bin Laden like Benezir Bhutto has offered to do because bin Laden is coming after Musharraf and Pakistan could use the help! As long as al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden are in Pakistan trying to control Pakistans nukes and promoting terror there can be no business as usual!

[feelfree1]

We have 2 brutal military dictators, Musharraf and Saddam. Saddam was overthrown by a brutal and illegal invasion of his country, while Musharraf is our friend.

Why? Because Musharraf has nuclear weapons, and Saddam did not, and the U.S. does not attack countries that can defend themselves.

Unfortunately for the Bush cabal, they "misunderestimated" the ability of the Iraqi and Afghan people to defend themselves.

[zootallures2]

newspapers there this morning proclaimed the actions as "Musharraf''s Second Coup."

Absolutely amazing... Even in Pakistan under a military dictator, under marshal law, their press is still free-er and more couragious than the u.s. and a. Not even Musharraf would fire rockets from an Apache helicopter at an unarmed press!

[feelfree1]

We note that Saddam was hanged, following a kangaroo court conducted by an illegal occipier, while the Bush cabal- arguable the greatest enemies of the people of the U.S. and the world, remain un-hanged and at-large.

How can this be explained?

[toldyouso21]

No doubt for Musharref--terrorist extremism will extend to anyone that poses a challenge to his dictatorship and it IS a dictatorship. America and countries only agree to and like democracies when they hold all the cards and it is a sure win for whatever they want--let democracy veer towards the wrong type of government (as far as they are concerned) then police states, death squads, concentration camps and torture are just fine by them.

[feelfree1]

tbweb,

Re: "As long as al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden are in Pakistan trying to control Pakistans nukes and promoting terror there can be no business as usual!"

Still promoting your Zionist apologist nonsense, I see.

[zootallures2]

We note that Saddam was hanged, following a kangaroo court conducted by an illegal occipier, while the Bush cabal- arguable the greatest enemies of the people of the U.S. and the world, remain un-hanged and at-large.

How can this be explained?

Posted by FeelFree1 at 12:31 PM : Nov 04, 2007

- Selling the pieces of the crashed Shuttle on e-bay.
- People posing with cut out ads as victims of 9/11 just to get on tv.
- Editing the film of 9/11 to make it look different to sell it to CNN.

What''s the song from RadioHead... You''re a creep, you''re a weirdo....

[toldyouso21]

Posted by tbweb at 12:24 PM : Nov 04, 2007


After the debacle of Iraq* no country in their right mind--no matter how besieged within would grant Americans the right to go in and do anything. We are like using a missle to kill a mouse. Overkill and devastating.

*Presently much of Iraq is in rubble without power, sanitation, working sewers, potable drinking water and run rife with kidnappers, death squads, multiple factions, Americans, foreigners, insurgents, etc--all killing and all using Iraq as a springboard to garner either money or power. Who in the hell wants that? America would not want it, if the shoe was reversed--even a masochisssst has its limits.

[downtowner97]

Saddam attacked Kuwait for one reason. They were pumping oil out from under Iraq, and selling it cheaper than OPEC had agreed on. They were able to stockpile a massive amount of money doing this, and that money sat safely in the world bank. When Saddam attacked, the Emir of Kuwait and his family fled to their second home in Saudi Arabia. Their country was destroyed, but in the end, they came out ahead financially.

The US is doing the opposite. We have a very finite amount of oil left in the US, and our government wants to pump the same amount, not more, but make more money on every barrel. The price of a barrel of oil coming out of war-torn Iraq is necessarily high because of the extreme danger and difficulty of getting it to market.
A barrel of oil casually and safely pumped from an oil platform off Santa Barbara costs the exact same amount as the most difficult barrel to get, which has led to record profits for American oil companies.

This is truly a war for oil, but not for cheap oil. It''s a war to increase the price of oil to increase profits. Selling weapons to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia just insures future conflict, and higher oil prices.

[toldyouso21]

Not even Musharraf would fire rockets from an Apache helicopter at an unarmed press!

Posted by zootallures2 at 12:28 PM : Nov 04, 2007


Surely you jest? If he wouldn''t it would only be because he did not have an Apache helicopter to do so. Not only would Musharref do such a thing, but he''d be sure to smear them all as a terrorist cell or terrorist sympathizers as he did so. Musharref is just like Saddam. Saddam was our friend too--until he got in our way and threatened our money.

[iceman_1960]

"Musharraf Leaves White House in Lurch"

(New york Times Headline)

This would never have happened if Lurch had won the White House in 2004.

[zootallures2]

Used to be a myth, a self hating American sort of thing... but more and more logic and common sense keeps pointing to source of world problems, poverty, war, sadism, perversion.... can be all traced back to that area between Canada and Mexico. American Union? God help the Canadians and Mexicans...LOL!

[iceman_1960]

"Not even Musharraf would fire rockets from an Apache helicopter at an unarmed press!"
- Posted by zootallures2 at 12:28 PM : Nov 04, 2007

Of course not. He might miss.

He"d go for napalm.

[ubrew12]

downtowner97 said: "The price of a barrel of oil coming out of war-torn Iraq is necessarily high...A barrel of oil casually and safely pumped from...Santa Barbara costs the exact same amount as the most difficult barrel to get, which has led to record profits for American oil companies.

This is truly a war for oil, but not for cheap oil. It''s a war to increase the price of oil to increase profits. "

Thanks, good insight.

[downtowner97]

The US is fiercely protective of Israel. We always have been. We have promised to defend Musharraf to the end because he doesn''t want to put a nuke in the middle of Tel Aviv like 99.999% of the people in his country.

We will do anything to defend Israel, though Israelis cannot fight with us. We berate Germany and France for not putting their soldiers in Iraq, but Israel, the country we fight the Middle East to protect, can''t help us help them.

Remember the US embargo against South Africa? Did we do that because we love black people so much? No. Look at Darfur. We put an embargo on South Africa to boost Israel''s diamond profits.

Who has AIPAC bought this election? Hillary. Who are the evangelists behind this election? Hillary. Who are the military contractors going to support this election? Hillary. The parties take turns, but Israel and the war machine always pick a winner.

[tbweb]

Posted by toldyouso21 at 12:35 PM : Nov 04, 2007,,,

The "Gorilla" in Pakistans room is al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden! Musharraf will not go after Osama bin Laden the same way the U.S. will, the U.S. has more incentive to find bin Laden and finish the job once and for all. Osama bin Laden in Pakistan changes the equation dramatically and how can anything positive develop in Pakistan as long as Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda have a safe harbor there?

[zootallures2]

Musharref is just like Saddam. Saddam was our friend too--until he got in our way and threatened our money.

Posted by toldyouso21 at 12:37 PM : Nov 04, 2007

Saddam on Jon Stewart''s Daily Show selling a book....hummm.... Picture that. He''s a u.s. puppet. And so are the other two who traveled their to start trouble. The people want gringo to go home!

[iceman_1960]

This is the part of the world where idiot Bush-backers assure us, it is the sacred duty of American arms to spread Iowa-style democracy, sweetness and light:


"SAN''A, Yemen (AP) -- About 40 people, mostly Somalis, have drowned while crossing the Gulf of Aden on their way to Yemen in a desperate attempt to escape gunbattles back home, security officials and witnesses said Saturday.

About 90 others survived and managed to reach the Yemeni southern shores of Shokara after their rickety vessels capsized in the waters on Thursday, said a security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Fisherman Mohammed Saleh said beginning Thursday night, he saw bodies floating in the water.

"We saw mutilated bodies ... scattered along the shores," Saleh said."

[v_1618]

OK BUSH NOW SAVE YOUR PRAYERS
FOR WHEN YOU REALLY GONNA NEED''EM...

[zootallures2]

Where did Pakistan get it''s nukes from again?
Israel!

[cburn665]

downtoner, that is something to think hard about. Hmmn, could our government have been the culprits in this?

[iceman_1960]

"The "Gorilla" in Pakistans room is al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden!"
- Posted by tbweb at 12:46 PM : Nov 04, 2007

Guerrilla, not Gorilla.

Guerrilla.

[siete-pesos]

way to go, bush.

you idiot piece of redneck, white trash, texas creep.

they still love bush in the south.

christian creeps, republican snakes...

oh well, that''s the south for you, folks!

[zootallures2]

downtoner, that is something to think hard about. Hmmn, could our government have been the culprits in this?

Posted by cburn665 at 12:49 PM : Nov 04, 2007

I think it has "u.s. americans don''t have maps but want to teach others how to use them" written all over it.

[diehardrepub]

If I had Musharif at Gitmo I''d give him the pee board.

[diehardrepub]

That''d teach him.. "drown in my gay democratic urine, pal".

[zootallures2]

Guerrilla, not Gorilla.

Guerrilla.

Posted by Iceman_1960 at 12:50 PM : Nov 04, 2007

A gorilla doesn''t know how to use hair color.

And what about Azzaam? Is that Jue instead of Jew?

[iceman_1960]

"The US is fiercely protective of Israel. We always have been."
- Posted by downtowner97 at 12:45 PM : Nov 04, 2007

That"s fine as long as it"s a two-way street, like every other alliance we have.

Not a "unique" relationship, where it"s all "Give" on one side and all "Take" on the other.

We need to develop a nonunique relationship with Israel.

[tbweb]

"The "Gorilla" in Pakistans room is al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden!"
- Posted by tbweb at 12:46 PM : Nov 04, 2007

Guerrilla, not Gorilla.

Guerrilla.

Posted by Iceman_1960 at 12:50 PM : Nov 04, 2007,,,

What are you talking about? Gorilla is not a misspelling! Duh! Correct yourself!

go7ril7la (g-rl)
n.
1. The largest of the anthropoid apes (Gorilla gorilla) native to the forests of equatorial Africa, having a stocky body and coarse, dark brown or black hair.
2. Slang
a. A brutish man.
b. A thug.

[diehardrepub]

"Think ya can push me around? I''ll pee on ya."

[ozonmojo]

George W. Bush is absolutely wrong.Democracy does not thrive in some soils.Because of the inherent authoritarianism and violence in the Islamic dogma no Muslim country will sustain a democratic form of government.Pakistan is a textbook case of this fact.It has not been able to maitain a democratic form of government for long since its birth in 1947.
Both Benazir and Shariff are just jokers out to make money.Musharraf is the right guy for the country at this stage.U.S must support him for his continued cooperation in the war on terror.

[zootallures2]

Dieser Platz ist von den Ashkenazi Juden voll

[diehardrepub]

Hey! Hey.. got a serious question fer ya: Are there any fellow gay brethren in Pakistan?

[siete-pesos]

want to build a veritable utopian state?

let the northern and western blue states combine with liberal canada.

let mexico have the southern red states.

man, if we could be rid of the redneck, republican christian south

america would really be a super country then!

ha,ha,ha.

war, hate, republikan snakes, christian creeps...

nothing good comes out of the south.

[lawyertom1]

As we should have learned over the last 6 decades, getting into bed with the devil means problems. Now, the fundamentalists will have another reason to rally the country against Musharraf. Considering that his own security service is heavily infiltrated with those who believe in the fundamentalist interpretation of Islam, a coup is also a reasonable possibility. Then, what do we get? An AQ state with nuc''s. Oh joy.

While generally democracy cannot be pushed upon a state, we can help to encourage locals to realize their dreams and achieve freedom. That is the greatest assurance of peace. Supporting dictators only defers the inevitable, collapse and chaos.

[feelfree1]

Subtlety is lost on ''tbweb''.

It is a rabid dead-brained Zionist apologist.

It understands only violence.

[zootallures2]

Hey! Hey.. got a serious question fer ya: Are there any fellow gay brethren in Pakistan?

Posted by diehardrepub at 12:59 PM : Nov 04, 2007

Sie zogen ganz nach Jerusalem f|r die Parade um

[diehardrepub]

Got any public restrooms?

[diehardrepub]

*tap tap tap tap tap..* Answer de questioN!

[zootallures2]

Wir sollten Ashkenazis dhrentragendes tragen lassen heilen und Leder f|r Kennzeichnung