Liberals condemn Musharraf's anti-Canadianism

[sanch]

Interim Liberal leader Bill Graham condemned on Wednesday comments made by the President of Pakistan, who said Tuesday that Canadians should stop complaining about the number of casualties in the war in Afghanistan.
General Pervez Musharraf said in an interview aired on the CBC late Tuesday that his country has borne the brunt of the fighting in Afghanistan and that any country participating in the war should expect casualties.
"We have suffered 500 casualties, Canadians may have suffered four or five," he said in the interview. "You suffer two dead, and there's a cry and shout all around the base that there are coffins. Well, we've had 500 coffins."

Mr. Harper had been briefed on the comments, but a Canadian official said the Prime Minister deliberately avoided criticizing Pakistan.

"Pakistan is an important ally in the fight against terror," Mr. Harper told reporters. "We're all aware of the cross-border movement of insurgents between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and we know that Pakistan has increased its efforts in this regard and we'll continue to encourage them to do so."

Pakistan provided significant support for the Madrasas that trained the Taliban and they also provided the Taliban with continued military and political support pre 9/11. Pakistan still supports the Taliban and this is contributing to the increasing escalation in Afghanistan which is killing Canadians. The Pakistani army needs to go into the Tribal areas and root out the Taliban, al Queada and bin Laden. That is where the war should be.

And Pakistan has not increased its efforts in the Tribal areas. Musharraf has offered an amnesty to tribal leaders who support the Taliban as well as Arab fighters. Harper needs better intelligence.

 

[Kreskin]

Did you see Musharraf on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart? I was surprised to see him on. Loved how Stewart started with polite small talk then snapped "where's Osama Bin Laden!".

 

[mabudon]

I watched the whole interview and am surprised that the comment was taken SO out of context in the MSM (okay, not realy, but I had to start somehows ).
Musharraf was being badgered, and he kept getting asked what seemd to be extremely leading questions. Not only that, but the "suppositions" upon which the "questions" were based were patently ridiculous at times.

The "Canadians are wimps" line was NOT something that was levelled at the whole of Canada at ALL. The "question" it was in response to was more of a bold accusation, setting up the caskets of Canadian soldiers as an emotional touchstone and then asking how Musharraf could just LET Canadians die or some crap like that. A transcript of the pertinent part of the exchange might help, but he was clearly upset at not having the ability to answer these "questions" based on the inherent flaws in the logic of them. That's what I got from it, anyways

 

[Curiosity]

Did you see Musharraf on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart? I was surprised to see him on. Loved how Stewart started with polite small talk then snapped "where's Osama Bin Laden!".

Kreskin

I loved that interview - not sure how Musharraf took Stewart because he doesn't seem to have much real humor in him.

When Stewart offered him green tea and Twinkies (a delicacy) I nearly lost it....

I hope he had the smarts enough to thank Canada for their participation.

 

[sanch]

I watched the whole interview and am surprised that the comment was taken SO out of context in the MSM (okay, not realy, but I had to start somehows ).
Musharraf was being badgered, and he kept getting asked what seemd to be extremely leading questions. Not only that, but the "suppositions" upon which the "questions" were based were patently ridiculous at times.

The "Canadians are wimps" line was NOT something that was levelled at the whole of Canada at ALL. The "question" it was in response to was more of a bold accusation, setting up the caskets of Canadian soldiers as an emotional touchstone and then asking how Musharraf could just LET Canadians die or some crap like that. A transcript of the pertinent part of the exchange might help, but he was clearly upset at not having the ability to answer these "questions" based on the inherent flaws in the logic of them. That's what I got from it, anyways

There is no inherent flaw in any logic except that Pakistan got a big pass in the war of terror. The top of the Pakistani military regime has many fundamentalists who are aligned ideologically against the west. Musharraf is in the odd position of having to reconcile a number of conflicting issues such as whose side is the military on.

 

[mabudon]

Okay, I totally agree with the fact that Musharraf is in a very delicate position, which he laid out pretty well in the interview I thought. I was I guess alluding to the "flawed logic" suggested by this threads title, as "Anti Canadianism" is a totally ridiculous notion, that was most DEFINITELY not what the man was expressing in any way, shape or form, and some of the questions posed to him were sort of based on this kind of silliness.


And Thanks to Youtube, I'll check out the Daily Show bit as soon as I can, I would have stayed up later if I'd had any idea he would actually appear on there, a really interesting move to be sure (and yes I KNOW he is promoting a book too)

 

[sanch]

I think the anti-Canadianism is related to the interaction between Paul Martin and Harper. I would agree with Martin that a "Canadian" mission abroad should focus on development and reconstruction as well as peace keeping. Harper is not responsible for the turn of events and the escalation but his response suggests that he is somewhat disengaged from reality.

The Pakistani military should clean uo the tribal areas. They were given a special status by the British but now this special status is enabling them to harbour terrorists.