Destabilising Pakistan
Musharraf’s return may fit into the ongoing destabilisation efforts of Pakistan. On the other hand, he may on his own, apart from Washington’s directives. Considering the scant media attention on his return, this is probably accurate.
Relations with the West have been increasingly strained in the past number of years. Previous to this, Pakistan, like Saudi Arabia, was supportive of Afghanistan’s Taliban. Musharraf was an obedient puppet. As soon as Washington declared the Taliban an enemy, he followed suit. This has created much internal strife in the country. The United States however have much influence due to the billions of American tax dollars that go to Pakistan. Of course, this aid (like much of the aid handed out all over the world) is a way to funnel large sums of tax dollars into the hands of arms sellers and private contractors. There are undoubtedly a significant number of powerful Pakistanis, both in the military and outside the military that benefit from this aid; it certainly does buy influence.
Public relations between Pakistan and the West have been deteriorating and continue to do so. Fractures and strains both domestically and internationally make Pakistan a very unstable situation. Pakistan has been showing increasing levels of disobedience and Western politicians and media are openly critical and suspicious of that government. Mike Mullen, past chair of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that “The Haqqani network...acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence Agency” and blamed them for an attack on the American Embassy in Kabul.
This level of distrust of the Haqqani group and its concomitant distrust of Pakistan government places Pakistan on the very same ground as Syria, Gaddafi’s Libya, or any state that does not fit with Washington’s long term goals and objectives. Drone strikes continue unabated in Pakistan, further exacerbating already strained relations. The blatant and widely boasted murder of Osama bin laden has not helped the situation.
The likelihood that Pakistan will remain stable over the next decade is remote. Pakistan is armed with nukes. If the USA needs a Saudi king, the need is no greater than in Pakistan.
The Saudi Model
