The Candidates on U.S.-Pakistan Policy

Clinton foreign policy adviser Lee Feinstein said in December 2007 that Clinton has "has opposed the Bush administration's coddling of President Musharraf, and stood steadfastly with the people of Pakistan in their struggle for democracy and against terrorism." He issued the statement in response to criticism from the Obama campaign that Clinton's initial support for the Iraq war in some way contributed to the current chaos in Pakistan (TIME).

In October 2007, Benazir Bhutto discussed the difficulties Clinton could face as a woman head of government in an interview with New York magazine. In early 2007, Clinton met with Musharraf in Lahore, Pakistan, to discuss cooperation on counterterrorism efforts in the region (Reuters). In November 2007, Clinton cosponsored a resolution condemning Musharraf's imposition of a state of emergency, and calling for an investigation into a prior assassination attempt on Bhutto.

Christopher Dodd 
Sen. Dodd (D-CT) has been critical of the Bush administration's policy in Pakistan, and says Bush "never should have outsourced winning the Afghan war of necessity against al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime to General Musharraf and the Pakistani armed forces." In November 2007, Dodd said the United States should "maintain relations with the government and people of Pakistan, including Pakistani Armed Forces, as we support internal efforts to broker a political compromise to the internal conflict." He opposes cutting off assistance to Pakistan, and said additional aid "might even be necessary."

A 26-year member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Dodd has traveled to Pakistan and says he got to know Bhutto "very well over the years." After her death, Dodd said the United States must "do everything in our power to help Pakistan continue the path toward democracy and full elections." He said the "first priority must be to ensure stability in this critical nuclear state."

John Edwards 
Edwards called Bhutto's death a "contemptible, cowardly act." In a phone call with Musharraf shortly after the assassination, Edwards said he urged the Pakistani leader to "continue on the path to democratization" and to allow for international investigators to look into her death. In November 2007, Edwards said the United States should use economic and military aid to Pakistan as leverage to "push Musharraf toward open free elections; toward more democratic reform, to more transparency in the way both the government operates and the economy operates" (NYT).

He also called on Musharraf to bring "democratic reformers into the government," and to extend "the reach of the legitimate government to the tribal regions, not backing down to al-Qaeda and the Taliban." He said Musharraf should "support judicial review and the separation of powers."

Mike Gravel 
Mike Gravel's stance on this issue is unknown.