Beeker’s Words

Take a look at a world map and you will see that Pakistan shares a border with India, China, Iran and Afghanistan. Pakistan is the only Islamic nation with an arsenal of nuclear weapons and is a nation with the second largest Muslim population. Currently al-Qaeda and the Taliban have areas of the northern part of the country under their control. Both groups have claimed responsibility for the increase of bomb attacks across Pakistan and the militant fighting in the northwest mountain region. Since 9/11 Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has been a key ally for the west. In exchange for aiding the west and denouncing Islamic extremism, sanctions against Pakistan eased and aid poured into the country. Musharraf’s government is not stable and is not popular among the people of Pakistan. Musharraf had brokered a deal to return Benazir Bhutto to Pakistan in time for the 2008 elections. Bhutto, leader of the Pakistan’s People Party, is popular among the poor and in the southern portions of Pakistan. Bhutto had served twice as prime minister and comes from a family with a long history of nationalist, pro-democracy, and socialist philosophies. Western governments were hoping that Bhutto’s influence combined with Musharraf’s government would help stabilize a country moving toward religious extremism. The U.S. felt that Bhutto could help move the nation to a more stabilized, democratic government that would fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban militants who pose a threat to national and global security. Immediately upon returning to Pakistan, Bhutto was faced with two assassination attempts. She alluded to Musharrah’s government being responsible for the attacks. In November, Musharrah declared a state of emergency siting problems with Islamic extremists and issues with the Supreme Court’s decision to decide on a petition that questioned the validity of his reelection. Bhutto announces that she sees the state of emergency as a threat to the 2008 elections and compares Musharrah to a dictator. Musharrah ends the state of emergency and declares that elections will be held January 8, 2008. He also steps down as chief of the army and assumes only the role of president of Pakistan. On December 27, 2007, Benazir Bhutto is assassinated after speaking at a political rally. Now the nation is in extreme upheaval. Since Bhutto was so vocal about Musharraf, some believe that Musharraf might be responsible and at the very least he should have done more to protect Bhutto after the assassination attempts. Many believe that al-Qaeda or the Taliban are responsible. Bhutto was very outspoken about the threat of Islamic extremists and the need to clamp down on those militants in Pakistan not only for global security but for Pakistan’s security. So far no Islamic militant faction has claimed responsibility. Bottom line the people of Pakistan are in turmoil. Their government is unstable. They do not trust in their leadership and there are elements that are determined to undermine any attempts at democracy. You should care, because Islamic extremists flourish in conditions such as those in Pakistan. We have been worried about Iran and how far they have gotten in the nuclear program, however you should be thinking about a destabilized Pakistan who has 68 nuclear weapons sitting in a region where the Taliban could gain power.