US asked to cut off military aid if Pakistan vote unfair (Biden)

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States should cut off military aid to Pakistan if upcoming parliamentary elections are not free and fair, an influential US senator on foreign affairs said on Friday.

Senator Joseph Biden, a leading voice on international issues for the Democratic Party and head of the powerful Senate foreign relations committee, also forecast riots throughout Pakistan if Monday's elections were found to be "patently rigged."

The lawmaker who will observe the elections next week told reporters that Washington's "only real leverage" against the administration of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was military aid.

Asked what would be the consequences of unfair elections, Biden said, "I would move to cut off aid to Pakistan, military aid."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080216/pl_afp/pakistanvoteuscongress

[tekisui]

1. If the elections are deemed unfair, Pakistan will be looking at revolt.

The PPP will take to the streets to oust mushy. If the PPP win, they will oust him through the Parliament.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Gotta hand it to them--Pakistan is the LAST place

I'd want to be on their election day.

[blm]

5. Those three have always been three of the toughest SOB's in the Senate when it comes

to REAL spine.

The distortions the media have been putting out over the years is a disservice to this NATION and our identity.

[Inuca]

8. Interesting way to characterize them

:-), but yes, I agree.

[blm]

11. I mean, when push comes to shove any of them could LITERALLY tear the guts out of their detractors

who are almost all just pea-brained cowards with big lying mouths.

[gateley]

9. Yes - and we know these three will tell us the TRUTH about what is going on. nt

[blm]

16. More than most.

.

[rocktivity]

3. Unfortunately, the U.S. government is far from qualifed

to give other countries lectures on fair elections.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Muttocracy]

6. true, but better those guys than a bunch of Bushies nt

[Deny and Shred]

4. Isn't Musharraf's party polling less than 20%?

I heard that on the radio on Friday. There are two other party's polling higher.
Career military strongmen from this region don't have much of a history of simply stepping down. Given his penchant for martial law, I don't see election fraud as out of bounds for him.
If we do cut off military aid, and Musharraf then falls, it could be a truly problematic power vacuum.
Monday will be interesting.

[gateley]

10. This is dicey --

I think our ultimate concern (which I heard Biden speak of a while back) is that Musharraf does something to piss off the military (which backs him now) and the 'radicals' are able to get a stronghold.

I don't know what happens to the military's loyalty to Musharraf if the opposition party candidate wins....

[Muttocracy]

7. thanks for posting this; more from Assoc. Press (similar)

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h1aBshjF1CnfJ4noaEXA_Vb8dm-gD8UR0FTG2

<snip>
Biden, D-Del., said rigged elections probably would spark rioting throughout Pakistan. Pressure is mounting on Musharraf, he said, to hold a vote that will be accepted by international observers and Pakistan's people.

"Will it be pristine and crystal clear and pure? I doubt that," Biden said. "But will it be one that can give some solace to the vast middle of the country that is moderate? At least, that is my hope. If it isn't, I think there'll be a hell of a price to pay and a lot of instability."
<snip>

[gateley]

12. Thanks for the link -- since Biden has been out of the race I've missed

hearing his take on Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Whenever something occurred, they'd get a Biden quote so we'd kind of know what was going on --
now we just get statements from Condi.

I learned more from Biden regarding those countries in the short time he was running than I ever knew.

[blm]

13. If you want to know the background on Pakistan read the BCCI report.

Just about everything happening today from 9-11, Iraq war, Pakistan's horrific reality, and our future war with Iran is rooted in that report and its outstanding matters.

[gateley]

14. Thank you -- will do! nt

[goforit]

15. Hey Biden...Just like the Obama/Clinton vote in New York??? or Gore/Bush2000

[jillan]

17. A little different situation --- you do know that, right?