The Right State

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has shown just how scripted the presidential candidates are during the last few days before an election and how major incidents can wreck havoc.  The former Prime Minister’s death has thrown the candidates into turmoil along with their overly rehearsed speeches.  Like a derailed train, some of the candidates are going full speed ahead while saying the most ridiculous things.  Bill Richardson of New Mexico who arguably has the most foreign policy experience of any of the other Democrats has called on President Bush to force Pervez Musharraf to step down as President of Pakistan. 

Alone among the White House contenders, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson called on President Bush to pressure Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to step aside in favor of a coalition government.

“Until this happens, we should suspend military aid to the Pakistani government,” he said in a statement. “Free and fair elections must also be held as soon as possible,” added Richardson, who served as ambassador to the United Nations for a portion of the Clinton administration.

I would expect this kind of nonsense from one of the liberal blogs, but not from a presidential candidate.  Second tier candidates are known to say off the wall things just to garner what little bit of publicity from the major networks, but this comment by Richardson is plain stupid.  Musharraf will have a hard enough time keeping the country together without the candidates throwing fuel on the fire.  Like him or not, the US needs Pakistan in the war on terror.

The Democrats do not have a stranglehold on idiotic comments.  Take one Ron Paul who claims to be a Republican, but in actuality is a Libertarian. 

Texas Rep. Ron Paul, though, diverged from the message of other Republican candidates, calling on the United States to cut off aid to Pakistan.

“We should mind our own business, and stay out of supporting military dictators, and that’s what Musharraf is,” Paul told FOX News. “We’re right in the middle of this, and we just sort of stir the pot, and now I’m scared to death we’re going to be marching in there and have another war.”

Who said anything about going to war with or for Pakistan?  Sometimes I wonder what planet Ron Paul is really from.  I almost expect to see an episode on him as the agents of Men in Black discuss aliens who look like aliens.

Both options, asking Musharraf to resign and cutting off aid to Pakistan, are just plain dangerous.  We need him in the country to maintain stability in the region.  Without him there is a power vacuum which would create even more instability.  It is instability where Al Queda, the Taliban, and terrorism thrives the best.  This is something the US can not afford.  Remember Afghanistan?  This was the exact scenario which led the Taliban and Osama bin Laden to power in that country.

The attack and assassination of Benazir Bhutto is a win-win for the terrorists and a must win for the US.  We can not let Pakistan fall into chaos, not when they have nuclear weapons. 

For the candidates to call on Musharraf to resign and for the end of aid to his country is playing right into Al Queda’s hands.  Richardson knows better than to fan the flames of discontent.  And as for Ron Paul…he is just a moron.

Tags: National Elections //