Fact-Checking 1
Fact-checking the debate (transcript available here).
For Pakistan and the controversy over McCain's ridiculous assertion that Pakistan was a 'failed state' in 1999 when Musharraf made his coup, see my "McCain's Holiday from History" from last February (the terms of the debate between McCain and Obama on these issues, interestingly hasn't changed).
But one thing that has changed is that Pakistan made its transition from military to civilian rule, a transition McCain was not enthusiastic about-- he supported military dictator Pervez Musharraf.
By the way, Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister against whom Musharraf made the coup, is the leader of the major opposition party in parliament, the Muslim League. Isn't McCain dissing Nawaz Sharif big time, equating his term as prime minister with Somalia? Moreover, Musharraf kept the current president of Pakistan, Asaf Ali Zardari, in prison for several years and threatened his wife, Benazir Bhutto, with a jail sentence as well, as a way of keeping civilian politicians out of power.
Given this 'failed state' allegation against the civilian politicians now in power in Pakistan, hasn't McCain just screwed up any chance he had of a close working relationship with the new government?
I mean, it would be like saying that dictator Leonid Kuchma of the Ukraine was doing his best and had to act as he did in cracking down on dissent in the Ukraine because it was a failed state, and then saying you hope to have a good working relationship with dissident activist and now president Viktor Yushchenko today! (McCain probably would have adopted that stance if Kuchma had been a right-wing dictator instead of a Soviet holdover.
And, imagine, McCain accused Obama of poisoning relations with Pakistan by saying he'd take the shot at Bin Laden if we found him!
posted by Juan Cole @ 9/27/2008 12:02:00 AM
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5 Comments:
Viktor Yushchenko was Kuchma lackey before he sided with USA rulers against his former patron (and a former USA puppet)USA made "colour revolution" in Ukraine, and now Viktor Yushchenko is very unpopular.
Prof. Cole should chose his ex. better
Watching the debate, my head started to spin with all the names of countries and leaders that poured out of McCain's mouth. His mouth was like Niagra Falls. It was a name-dropping Niagra Falls intended to impress. It was contrived and planned and thus failed.
Regarding McCain's comment about Pakistan being a failed state. It has become something of a failed state since George Bush. The Marriott Hotel blast showed how out of touch the American puppets are to the needs of the Pakistani people. A Bush/McCain strategy will ensure Pakistan fails and there is yet anonther American theater of war.
McCain came off as an angry and hostile old man whose temper is always on the brink of exploding. Please keep him away from the nuclear button that could end the world.
gosh! thanks anonymous! jerk....
Thanks Dr. Cole-you are without a doubt an absolutely necessary daily read. Thank you for your work.
I greatly respect Prof. Cole and always enjoy reading his commentary but in the case of this reference to Ukrainian politics I think he is off the mark (unless I misunderstand something in the wording), calling Kuchma a dictator – you flatter him, a corrupt representative of big business and regional elite clans, typical of the post soviet states’ “leadership” – that he is… but a dictator not by a long shot, Ukraine is not quite in the central Asian republics league. It would also be quite naïve to believe that voter fraud techniques used in Kuchma’s time are not still in use under Yushenko today and by all sides in any Ukrainian election.
As for Yushenko… 1993-1999 head of Ukraine’s national bank, 1999 to 2001 prime minister under none other than Kuchma, 2002 to 2004 heads largest block in Ukrainian parliament – doesn’t quite look like a career of a “dissident activist”. He is no less corrupt than Kuchma either, scandal involving his son’s luxury car and designer 30,000$ cell phone procured with state funds just one small albeit colorful example. For all the talk of reform and democracy Yushenko is very much more of the same for Ukraine only perhaps more demonstratively pro-western.
When was McCain in Waziristan? That is not in Afghanistan, but Pakistan. Last I heard the Pakistani army was unable to control it. I doubt if the Pakistani government - either under Musharraf or Zadari -- would have allowed him to visit.
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