U.S. Embrace of Musharraf Irks Pakistanis

[cal04]

DAVID ROHDE
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/world/asia/29pstan.html?hp

The Bush administration’s continued backing of President Pervez Musharraf, despite the overwhelming rejection of his party by voters this month, is fueling a new level of frustration in Pakistan with the United States.

That support has rankled the public, politicians and journalists here, inciting deep anger at what is perceived as American meddling and the refusal of Washington to embrace the new, democratically elected government. John D. Negroponte, the deputy secretary of state, said Thursday during a Senate panel hearing that the United States would maintain its close ties to Mr. Musharraf.

Pakistanis say the Bush administration is grossly misjudging the political mood in Pakistan and squandering an opportunity to win support from the Pakistani public for its fight against terrorism. The opposition parties that won the Feb. 18 parliamentary elections say they are moderate and pro-American. By working with them, analysts say, Washington could gain a vital, new ally.

The American insistence that Mr. Musharraf play a significant role, they say, will only draw out a power struggle with the president and distract the new government from pushing ahead with alternatives to Mr. Musharraf’s policies on the economy and terrorism, which are widely viewed here as having failed.

[Muttocracy]

1. oh, that Dana Perino...

from the link

"On Monday, Dana Perino, the White House spokeswoman, said President Bush continued to support Mr. Musharraf for “all of the work that he’s done to help us in counterterrorism.”"

[Muttocracy]

2. at today's hearing someone mentioned the anger of the press there

I think it was one of the senators who was there (Biden/Kerry/Hagel), talking about how the press laid into them at a press conference, but I'm not remembering which one - think it was in the Q&A, not in prepared remarks.