The Right Hand Cleansing The Left
What an uneasy alliance. What shuffling about, bargaining, withholding of assent to garner greater sacrifices - how very political. Amazing how the potential loss of high political office can focus the mind and re-direct toward peace with one's one-time antagonist. But, as the saying goes, politics does make strange bedfellows.But it looks as though a successful rub-my-back-I'll-rub-yours deal has finally been struck between General Pervez Musharraf and former president Benazir Bhutto. Odd, isn't it, how so many former presidents of Pakistan are in exile, self-imposed or not, as a result of the inconvenient revelations of corruption...?
Benazir Bhutto has agreed to return to her country from London, to help a desperate rival. Contingent, of course, that all corruption charges against her former regime be dropped. No problem. Consider it done. She will now assist General Musharraf in his three-term ambition. Of course he too has agreed to a sacrifice; he will cease and desist; no longer represent the country's armed forces and doff his uniform.
Nice for Ms. Bhutto; as head of her large and popular party, she returns to Pakistan to help rule that troubled country. Immunity from prosecution has been granted; offered to all parliamentarians between the years 1988 and 1999 against whom charges have not yet been proven. Effectively excluding another former president, coincidentally charged with corruption, also in exile.
Whom General Musharraf had deposed in a military coup in 1999; none other than Nawaz Sharif, also champing at the bit to return to a country sadly in need of his interventionist role as a prospective new head of state. But General Musharaff offered exemption to Ms. Bhutto only, even though both she and Mr. Sharif were once blamed by him for the economic difficulties that brought the country to near-bankruptcy.
Now everyone is bankrupt - morally. Hypocrisy and corrupt manipulation remain the order of the day. Nothing like the urgency of political exigencies to make friends of enemies.
Labels: Political Realities
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, August 30, 2007
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