It’s no surprise that Pakistan’s leader is acting in his country’s interests, says a s h smyth |
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As Pervez Musharraf's clumsy, immodest memoir hits shelves this week, serious questions must be asked about Pakistan's allegiance in the war on terror.
Gen Musharraf's irritation at Washington's domineering attitude has grabbed the headlines recently, but there's plenty more. Musharraf and MI6 still blame each other for allowing the 7/7 tube bombings; Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, accuses Pakistani madrassas - Islamic religious schools - for exporting extremism to his country; and yesterday Indian police fingered Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) for the July 11 train bombings in Mumbai.
So whose side is Musharraf on? Well, unsurprisingly, Pakistan's. He has a country to protect, he says, and that country is not the US. He joined the Afghan-war coalition for Pakistan's sake, not America's; though his
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Gen Musharraf believes that
the West owes him and his country a
historic debt |
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government had hitherto allied itself with the Taliban, he was simply unwilling to 'commit suicide' by shackling Pakistan's interests to the ill-fated Afghan regime.
Likewise, his recent accord with unruly Waziri tribes is transparently good only for Pakistan, and destined to cause havoc for Kabul. By withdrawing troops, releasing prisoners and returning seized weapons, he has effectively granted safe haven to the Taliban-allied tribesmen along Pakistan's northern border: the region will become a staging-point for attacks on Helmand.
There is a personal element, too. Elections approach, the General plans to stick around, and he needs to rebut critics on all sides. Hence the book, of course.
Musharraf needs to be weaned off his logical but unhelpful strategy, and carefully: as recent pronouncements show, he believes the West owes Pakistan (and him) a historic debt, and he is fully aware of his value to the future security of the region. Without Pakistan's willing cooperation, Afghanistan is lost and the West's plans for Asia in serious trouble. 
FIRST POSTED OCTOBER 2, 2006
 Newsdesk: today's main stories
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