Nobody is 100% perfect but President Musharraf is the capable and right man and once u listen to him you want to support his efforts. As far as West /US support is concern , they should be thankfull that we are fighting their war , and we expect full and long term support, and they must stop threatening statements, specialy from those who are yet to win their nominations. betraying us will this time will be dangerous but not for us.
'Pakistanis Know I Can Be Tough’
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But that's almost a colonial system. Shouldn't there be real politics?
Yes, I agree. And that is what we tried in '99. But then, all hell broke loose with 9/11. Every tribe had its own armory of machine guns and mortars and rocket launchers. Whenever a tribe fought another tribe, they would dish out weapons from the armory and fight, and then make some kind of truce, and the weapons went back to the armory. With the emergence of the Taliban, this whole system has been disturbed. We, in our political management, are trying to bring the [tribal authorities] back again. [But this puts us] in a fix. To fight the mullahs we need the old structure. But to modernize we need to get rid of the old structure.
Do the Americans want to undertake some operations that you are reluctant to undertake in these areas?
No. If the American troops came into the mountains, they would curse the day they came here. I know these areas, and I know American troops. I know our troops. This is not easy. American troops don't have any magic wands. Our troops, who are the locals, who understand groups and customs, are very hardy. Our troops can go on roti and water. American troops would need chocolate. And logistic support to them would be very difficult. Military men won't say it. The politicians don't have the complete information. President Bush gets the information and intelligence every morning. I don't think Hillary Clinton or anyone else gets the intelligence every morning. When one of them is the president, whoever it is, when they get the intelligence every morning, then I will see what they say.
Do you think you're the right person to fight this war against the jihadis?
The United States thought Benazir was the right person to fight terrorists. Who is the best person to fight? You need three qualities today if you want to fight the extremists and the terrorists. Number one, you must have the military with you. Well, she was very unpopular with the military. Very unpopular. Number two, you shouldn't be seen by the entire religious lobby to be alien—a nonreligious person. The third element: don't be seen as an extension of the United States. Now I am branded as an extension, but not to the extent she was. Pakistanis know that I can be tough. I can speak out against Hillary Clinton. I can speak out against anyone. These are the elements. You be the judge.
Could you work with the Pakistan Peoples Party in a post-election scenario?
I can work with anyone. I am hoping and praying that [the election] is fair and transparent and is seen to be fair and transparent.
Many people think it will not be.
That's because you people are writing that way [laughs].
No, it's not us. Every political party is making that accusation. How could we not report that?
On what basis?
Discuss