Two Leaders, on a Collision Course

Why are there more extremists now than when you came to office? Is it because of the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan? Is it because there's a growing anti-American feeling?
There is an anti-American feeling, and certainly U.S. actions in Afghanistan have an impact on it. On a larger scale, I would say the impact of whatever is happening to the entire Muslim world, starting with Palestine, [contributes].

You mean plus the lack of any progress on the Israeli-Palestinian issue?
Yes, you see all turmoil today is in the Muslim world. Iraq, Lebanon—when the Israelis came into Lebanon—and Afghanistan, of course.

You see the U.S. discussing withdrawing from Iraq. Does this mean America pulls out of this region again?
Unless there is an arrangement where you don't create chaos and destabilize this whole region, it would be a mistake.

You mean withdrawing from Iraq would be a mistake?
Yes, if there were a sudden withdrawal. Either make some arrangements where there is a continuity of effort to bring sanity and democratic government into Iraq and ensure the integrity of Iraq. If we [just] leave, I don't know what will happen there.

Do you feel you could work with Benazir Bhutto?
When you talk of working with her, you imply she is going to be the prime minister. Why do you imply that? I keep telling everyone we haven't had the elections.

If she gets enough votes, do you think you could work with her?
Yes, of course.

If she gets enough votes in the congress to allow her to serve a third term, would you allow the ban [on anyone serving for three terms as prime minister] to be lifted?
We'll have to decide on that once they win the vote.

But didn't you promise the U.S. last summer that you'd lift the ban?
No, I haven't given any such promises. We did talk about it, but there were many things that we talked about which have been violated.

And you feel you could work with her?
I think so. I am not such an unpleasant person.

Some say that you want the prime minister to come from your own party.
We are going to have fair and transparent elections.

Is that really true?
Why do you think it is untrue?

Mrs. Bhutto charges that there are going to be ghost polling stations—that the voting is going to be rigged.
That is what she is used to and that is what maybe she has been doing, so let her not treat everyone like herself … I am not like her. I don't believe in these things. Where's her sense of democracy when 57 percent of the Parliament vote for me, and she says she is not prepared to work with me, whether in uniform or out of uniform?

Do you feel the United States leaned too hard on you to take Mrs. Bhutto back?
No, no. I think it was [part of] a political reconciliation process, but it appears in the West that if a person speaks good English, it's very good. A person who doesn't know good English is quite unpopular in the West. And if he or she happens to be good-looking, then it's better. When Benazir came, the West thought she was [already] prime minister.