America & Pakistan General: ‘Front-line Ally’ In Deep Trouble

The current crisis in Pakistan, with the military dictatorship now reportedly even encouraging killing of civilians to stamp out dissent, could lead to further fuelling of anti-American movements in Pakistan and the region. And, later, to a possible civil war in Pakistan.

At least 27 people were killed and about 90 injured yesterday in clashes between rival political groups in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, a senior security source said, says Australia’s The Age.

“Most of the victims were members of Opposition parties who were rallying in support of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who was suspended on March 9 by President Pervez Musharraf.

” ‘There are 27 people dead in the violence. The number could go up. The majority of those killed are workers of opposition parties, mainly the Pakistan People’s Party,’ the official said.”

It is important to recall that Pakistan’s People’s Party is led by exiled Ms Benazir Bhutto, who is reportedly trying to reach a compromise with General Musharraf to return to Pakistan.

“New York-based Human Rights Watch said the government and its allies had apparently ‘deliberately sought to foment violence in Karachi’, and police stood by as ‘silent spectators’.”

One of the greatest problems with the US administration is that it seemingly loves to put all its eggs in the basket provided by tin pot dictators (military and civil), while in the same breath keeps a running commentary about the virtues of democracy.

Will this Orwellian double-speak at all help in the “War-against-Terror’?

To read a Chinese Xinhua report on the violence please click here…