Underscoring that "Gen Musharraf deludes himself if he thinks the presidential referendum he has scheduled at the end of the month is an affirmation of democracy" the New York Times asked the Bush administration to "more forcefully tell Gen Musharraf that his plan can only undermine the respect he has earned throughout the world since Sept 11." In an editorial "Pakistan's Perpetual President" the Times noted that "in a surreal spectacle, Gen Musharraf has been barnstorming around Pakistan holding rent-a-crowd rallies while barring anti-referendum demonstrations', adding, his heavy-handed tactics can only undermine the nation and weaken its ability to fight terrorism."
No doubt the Times has an alternative that will bring Qazi and Fazl and Sami and General Gul to heel... |