The American Spectator

AmSpecBlog

Democratizing Pakistan

By John Tabin on 3.12.07 @ 12:27PM

Benazir Bhutto argues in a WaPo op-ed that we shouldn't fear Pakistani democracy:

For too long, the international perception has been that Musharraf's regime is the only thing standing between the West and nuclear-armed fundamentalists.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Islamic parties have never garnered more than 13 percent in any free parliamentary elections in Pakistan. The notion of Musharraf's regime as the only non-Islamist option is disingenuous and the worst type of fear-mongering.

I was at a CSIS event a while back where Pakistan wonks pointed out that, Musharraf not being immortal, the choices basically come down to a transition back to democracy or an Islamist coup. It would be criminally negligent not to push toward the former option.

topics:
Islam, Pakistan