Bush divides his allies in the war against terror
independent: Seeking to bolster America's main ally in the "war on terror", President George Bush made his first visit to Pakistan under intense security yesterday. But Pakistani discomfort was visible at the new strategic alliance the US is seeking with India, its historic rival.
In an effort to prevent mass protests against Mr Bush's visit, the Pakistan authorities went so far as to place the former cricket star, Imran Khan, who is now a political opposition leader and was planning to lead a protest march, under house arrest.
But the President was due to spend barely 24 hours in Pakistan, after a visit to India that was nearly three times as long. There was no televised address to the nation, as there had been in India, and Mr Bush came with no offer to match the civilian nuclear technology sharing deal agreed with India last week - a deal seen in the region as acceptance of the country as a member of the "nuclear club".
Instead, there was a press conference at which Mr Bush said bluntly that part of the reason for his trip was to ensure that President Pervez Musharraf remained committed to the "war on terror".
"Part of my mission today was to determine whether or not the President is as committed as he has been in the past to bringing these terrorists to justice," said Mr Bush, adding almost as an afterthought: "And he is." Mr Musharraf was at pains to stress his country's alliance with the US, repeating the phrase "strategic partnership" several times. "We have today laid the foundations of a very firm, very strong and long-term relationship between the US and Pakistan," he said.
This was a leader trying to reinforce a carefully nurtured, special relationship with the US that he sees slipping away to his rival India. It is a far cry from 2003, when President Bush designated Pakistan a "major non-Nato ally" for its part in the "war on terror". Read more
In an effort to prevent mass protests against Mr Bush's visit, the Pakistan authorities went so far as to place the former cricket star, Imran Khan, who is now a political opposition leader and was planning to lead a protest march, under house arrest.
But the President was due to spend barely 24 hours in Pakistan, after a visit to India that was nearly three times as long. There was no televised address to the nation, as there had been in India, and Mr Bush came with no offer to match the civilian nuclear technology sharing deal agreed with India last week - a deal seen in the region as acceptance of the country as a member of the "nuclear club".
Instead, there was a press conference at which Mr Bush said bluntly that part of the reason for his trip was to ensure that President Pervez Musharraf remained committed to the "war on terror".
"Part of my mission today was to determine whether or not the President is as committed as he has been in the past to bringing these terrorists to justice," said Mr Bush, adding almost as an afterthought: "And he is." Mr Musharraf was at pains to stress his country's alliance with the US, repeating the phrase "strategic partnership" several times. "We have today laid the foundations of a very firm, very strong and long-term relationship between the US and Pakistan," he said.
This was a leader trying to reinforce a carefully nurtured, special relationship with the US that he sees slipping away to his rival India. It is a far cry from 2003, when President Bush designated Pakistan a "major non-Nato ally" for its part in the "war on terror". Read more
posted by exoplanet at 11:26 AM
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