The Associated Press reports that Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf survived another assassination attempt today.
Moments after his motorcade passed over a bridge a bomb exploded.
Musharraf, who came to power in a 1999 coup, has drawn the wrath of hardline Islamic groups after he backed the U.S. war against al-Qaida following the 9-11 attacks.
There has been at least one previous attempt on Musharraf's life. In a 2002 an assassination attempt failed when a bomb, planted in car along Musharraf’s planned route, failed to detonate.
I have mixed feelings about Pakistan. On one hand, I am grateful for the support Musharraf provided to the U.S. in the effort to remove the Taliban and al-Quaeda from Afghanistan. On the other hand, the Taliban was, in part, a creation of Pakistan’s intelligence service. There is also all the madrassas and Pakistan's support for the “tension” in Kashmir.
Musharraf is now hailed as a "courageous" and "visionary" leader who is ready to reorient his country toward a pro-American position. The idea of Pakistan, with a nuclear arsenal, being taken over by Islamofacists is a nightmare I don’t like to think about.
Cooperation between the United States and Pakistan is necessary to wage the war against terrorism, but that cooperation must remain at arm’s length until there is significantly more progress in Pakistan.
As suggested by the Cato Institute, Washington should view Pakistan, with its dictatorship, failed economy, and insecure nuclear arsenal, as a reluctant supporter of U.S. goals at best and as a potential long-term problem at worst.
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