The New Nation - Internet Edition

USA seems to take a lot of liberty with regard to Pakistan to suggest or coerce actions that are purely in domestic domain of Pakistan and that require no external instructions. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday that Pakistan must go ahead with elections next year and the United States opposed any move by President Pervez Musharraf to impose martial law.

A suicide attack on an Air Force bus that killed eight people in early November in Pakistan fueled fresh speculation that Musharraf could invoke emergency powers to postpone elections, due in or around January, which are meant to transform the country into a civilian-led democracy.

"I am not going to get into the details of our conversations but I think it would be quite obvious that the United States would not be supportive of extra-constitutional means," said Rice, when asked whether the United States opposed any move by Musharraf to declare martial law.

"Pakistan needs to prepare for and hold free and fair elections," said the top U.S. diplomat, adding that she had not spoken to Musharraf in recent days. Rice was speaking to reporters en route to Turkey on yet another crisis resolution mission, and before a refueling stop in Shannon, Ireland.

When speculation was rife several months ago that Musharraf was set to declare a state of emergency, Rice called him to make clear that this was a move Washington strongly opposed and there must be a move to civilian rule via democratic elections.

There were contradictory reports that Musharraf refused to clamp emergency, in spite of US suggestion for that. General Musharraf granted an amnesty that allowed Benazir Bhutto to return without fear of prosecution in graft cases hanging over her from the 1990s.

There is speculation the pair might end up sharing power after national elections and the United States, concerned about rising militancy in nuclear-armed Pakistan, is quietly fostering a partnership. "We are in constant contact with the leadership and the political leaders in Pakistan but I am not going to speculate on what might happen," Rice said.

US concern for democracy and rule of law have become a laughing stock in international arena. If it is perfectly alright for Ms. Rice to advise Musharraf on "democracy" according to US norms and rules, but, however, she should also take the same liberty to tell the Tel-Aviv leadership to stop killing the Palestinians and Lebanese.

US cannot use different yard-sticks to measure democracy levels, one for Muslims and another for Jews, and yet totally different one for Christians, please. Do US feel nervous about making such logical suggestions to Israel, or is White House afraid of nuclear weapons amazed by Israel?

US should realize their actions and intentions should display that they are genuine peacemakers and they don't side with any one party against the interests of the other.

But the USA is bent on advancing the cause of Israel at the cost of the Arabs. That is worry some. Double-speak on democracy and new Middle East by the USA have been rendered empty phrases to fool the world, while invading Islamic nations.

Dr.Abdul Ruff

Delhi