Once again, our administration expresses the right ideals by using the wrong language. The bad boys in power aren’t swayed when we talk down to them as if they were errant children (’I told Musharaff to do such and such”) . That’s guaranteed to just stiffen theri resolve and defiance. No one wants to be someone else’s lackey especially not America’s lackey.
In his book, Mushraff clearly expresses his resentment at being given orders instead of being ‘consulted’ after 9/11 That resentment may well be contributing to his deaf ear today.

It isn’t just Bush, BTW. All the candidates brag about what they would tell Iran or some other
country to do.
It’s my belied that you can give orders much more effectively if you give the other guy a chance to retain his dignity (in public, at least) and phrase the order in terms of making a deal, with consequences on which you can deliver instead of threats on which you may not be able to deliver.

By far more impressive would be a statement explaining why such actions are detrimantal and a danger to stability progress and justice( the democracy theme is much too tainted, thanks to Iraq), and why it’s important to the US and the rest
of the world

Then we’ve got to scramble to find some consequences that won’t totally ruin a deal but that would make an imprssion. Not all the aid we give Pakistan is used directly for fighitng the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Carrots could include help in civic institution building. for example.

We are between a rock and hard place in Pakistan.
Melodramatic posturing won’t help on its own.
This will take some carefyk inesssing

totally unable

Doesn’t this phrase in practice assume he’s actually trying as hard as he can? I believe he isn’t!

But rhetoric from Washington instead of yanking our money from under him seems a weak gesture

I suspect the likely alternative to him is feared. (Can Bhutto tame the terrorists, or would they kill her quickly or at least remove her government?)

What can we do promptly that improves the situation there, promptly? That means with respect to security and stability, not just to human rights.

What I would give for a bit of honesty. Like, “Hey, we hate Bin Laden so much we will side with bastards as long as they help us get him.”

It also wouldn’t bother me in the least and I suspect it wouldn’t bother most Americans if, were we to locate bin Laden, we’d go into Pakistan and get him ourselves, without securing the government’s permission there first.

What I would give for a bit of honesty. Like, “Hey, we hate Bin Laden so much we will side with bastards as long as they help us get him.” I can appreciate that sentiment. What we get instead makes me nauseous.