A Warning To The West
Or rather, America. Zardari is, at least in rhetoric, a notable contrast to Musharraf. But equally this is a statement against terrorist activity. How exactly either aspect will manifest itself is unclear, but it is certainly a shift from the previous leader and one that brings the view of the executive substantially closer to the Pakistani public. This is largely anti-American, and indeed it was only the fact that Musharraf was a dictator general that ensured he could remain in power despite the surges of popular opinion against him each time he through his weight behind the “War on Terror”.
“Democracy in Pakistan has finally been restored but it is still a tender sapling which needs nurturing before it becomes a great, sheltering tree” according to Mr. Zardari. It is in the nature of a democracy that he might become choked by the roots. Whether this shall influence his position on America remains to be seen, but with either a fierce neo-conservative or a man who has pledged to consider further and deeper military involvement in Pakistan to become the United States’ president the importance of this outcome shall doubtless be considerable.