Lecture by President Musharraf
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omairhr
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ditto that. And if anyone knows why Pakistani journalists were not allowed to cover those?
opinion786
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You can get news update from here:
News Our leader - Musharraf
News Our leader - Musharraf
opinion786
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Musharraf: ‘Pakistan is Not a Perpetrator of Terrorism’
New America Media, News Report, Viji Sundaram, Posted: Jan 18, 2009
Editor's Note: At a recent Stanford University appearance, former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf adamantly defended his country, asserting that Pakistan is in fact "a victim" of terrorism and that the roots of terrorism lie in illiteracy and poverty. Photo by Som Sharma. Viji Sundaram is an editor with New America Media.
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Sounding every inch like a military general, former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf lambasted those who accuse his country as “a perpetrator of terrorism.” He asserted that Pakistan is in fact “a victim” of terrorism.
“Pakistan faces terrorism with all its facets,” the 65-year-old asserted before a packed gathering at Stanford University’s Memorial Auditorium on Jan. 16. “It is wrong to think of it as a perpetrator. Events since 1979 (the year the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan) have made it that way.”
But he noted that stamping out terrorism in Pakistan “is absolutely critical if we are to win the global war on terrorism.”
Musharraf resigned as president in August 18 last year in order to avoid charges of impeachment that were to be leveled against him by parliament later that week.
He ruled Pakistan since he seized power in a bloodless military coup in 1999, ousting the democratically elected Prime Minister Navaz Sharif. Two years later, he appointed himself president.
A few months before he resigned, Musharraf imposed emergency rule and fired nearly 60 judges, including Pakistan’s chief justice, to keep them from overturning his re-election as president.
Musharraf’s rule of Pakistan was marked by civil unrest and an uneasy alliance with the United States. He has survived more than one attempt on his life.
In his hour-long speech at Stanford, Musharraf reiterated over and over again that Pakistan has been given short shrift by the West. He said that though Pakistan and Afghanistan played a key role in ending the Cold War and the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1989, it was Europe that gathered the spoils.
“What did Pakistan and Afghanistan, the main contributors of the victory, get?” he asked rhetorically. “Nothing. Everyone abandoned us and said, ‘You are on your own.’ ”
Musharaff said he himself has been trying to eradicate terrorism from Pakistan even before 9/11, when the United States sought his help to capture Al Queda operatives and their leader, Osama bin Laden, who is believed to be hiding near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.
But the fight against terrorism in Pakistan is made complex by the fact that terrorism shows itself in that country in three different ways, he said: One, as terrorism itself. Another, as the militant Taliban; and the third as “Talibinazation,” which Musharraf defined as “the Taliban spreading their views into the frontiers of Pakistan.”
“With the passage of time, there’s a link between all of them,” Musharraf asserted.
He defended Pakistan’s war on terrorism, and said no other country in the world has managed to “eliminate 700 al-Queda operatives, including 45 key figures.”
That being the case, he said, for the United States to say that Pakistan has done very little with the $10 billion in U.S. aid is unreasonable, just as it is to suggest that the money has been misused.
“A trillion dollars has been spent on Iraq,” Musharraf said. “The $10 billion is a pittance for a country that has taken a lead role in fighting terrorism.
“We are together on strategy, but don’t dictate to us how it has to be done in our country,” Musharraf said, his voice rising. “It’s in the interest of Pakistan, whose people are tired of suicide bombers, to end terrorism. We’re not doing it for you.”
He said unless the world takes a “holistic approach” to its war on terrorism, nothing much would come of it. Curbing terrorism in the remote border region with Afghanistan will not happen with military might alone, he said.
He likened terrorists to a tree, with terrorist organizations being its branches.
“Branches and leaves will keep growing unless we uproot the tree,” Musharraf said.
The roots of terrorism, he said, lie in illiteracy, poverty and not being assimilated into society, all three phenomena faced by many Muslim youth globally.
Musharraf acknowledged that many of the terrorist attacks “unfortunately” had Muslim involvement mostly because the world has been removing the leaves and branches and not taken out the root.
“The anger and frustration in Muslim youth is exploited by those who have a political agenda,” Musharraf asserted. “They indoctrinate them for terrorism,” misrepresenting the teachings of Islam.
And Musharraf warned: “Identifying terrorism with Islam is extremely dangerous to the cause of fighting terrorism.”
Musharraf acknowledged that the terrorists who brought down the World Trade Center in 2001 and were behind the 2004 Madrid train bombings and the 2005 London subway blasts were neither poor nor illiterate. Those were done out of a “sense of powerlessness arising from unresolved disputes,” he said.
Musharraf said he believes that unless political disputes are resolved, especially the important ones like those involving Palestine and Kashmir, terrorism will never end.
When asked how that could be done, Musharraf said that “forces” from the European Union, which has more credibility than the United States, should “come into play.”
“A Palestinian state,” he said, to applause, “has to be created.”
As for Kashmir, over which India and Pakistan have fought three wars and several minor disputes, Musharraf said there has to be “a give-and-take on both sides.”
He said he had moved the peace process along while he ruled Pakistan, first with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and later with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“Fleeting opportunities did come our way,” but neither country took advantage of them, he said, declining to elaborate.
It was not until someone from the audience questioned him about it did Musharraf even talk about the recent Mumbai attacks, which have further strained relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Investigations by both India and the United States point to the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group, being behind the attacks.
“If the Lashkar-e-Taiba are involved, they must be punished,” Musharraf said in response. “But at the same time, aspersions must not be cast on the Pakistani government.”
Musharraf’s talk, organized by several sponsors, including the Stanford in Government and the ASSU Speakers Bureau, is his second in a national speaking tour.
http://news.newamericamedia.org/news...d4c4edd3d376fd
New America Media, News Report, Viji Sundaram, Posted: Jan 18, 2009
Editor's Note: At a recent Stanford University appearance, former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf adamantly defended his country, asserting that Pakistan is in fact "a victim" of terrorism and that the roots of terrorism lie in illiteracy and poverty. Photo by Som Sharma. Viji Sundaram is an editor with New America Media.
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Sounding every inch like a military general, former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf lambasted those who accuse his country as “a perpetrator of terrorism.” He asserted that Pakistan is in fact “a victim” of terrorism.
“Pakistan faces terrorism with all its facets,” the 65-year-old asserted before a packed gathering at Stanford University’s Memorial Auditorium on Jan. 16. “It is wrong to think of it as a perpetrator. Events since 1979 (the year the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan) have made it that way.”
But he noted that stamping out terrorism in Pakistan “is absolutely critical if we are to win the global war on terrorism.”
Musharraf resigned as president in August 18 last year in order to avoid charges of impeachment that were to be leveled against him by parliament later that week.
He ruled Pakistan since he seized power in a bloodless military coup in 1999, ousting the democratically elected Prime Minister Navaz Sharif. Two years later, he appointed himself president.
A few months before he resigned, Musharraf imposed emergency rule and fired nearly 60 judges, including Pakistan’s chief justice, to keep them from overturning his re-election as president.
Musharraf’s rule of Pakistan was marked by civil unrest and an uneasy alliance with the United States. He has survived more than one attempt on his life.
In his hour-long speech at Stanford, Musharraf reiterated over and over again that Pakistan has been given short shrift by the West. He said that though Pakistan and Afghanistan played a key role in ending the Cold War and the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1989, it was Europe that gathered the spoils.
“What did Pakistan and Afghanistan, the main contributors of the victory, get?” he asked rhetorically. “Nothing. Everyone abandoned us and said, ‘You are on your own.’ ”
Musharaff said he himself has been trying to eradicate terrorism from Pakistan even before 9/11, when the United States sought his help to capture Al Queda operatives and their leader, Osama bin Laden, who is believed to be hiding near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.
But the fight against terrorism in Pakistan is made complex by the fact that terrorism shows itself in that country in three different ways, he said: One, as terrorism itself. Another, as the militant Taliban; and the third as “Talibinazation,” which Musharraf defined as “the Taliban spreading their views into the frontiers of Pakistan.”
“With the passage of time, there’s a link between all of them,” Musharraf asserted.
He defended Pakistan’s war on terrorism, and said no other country in the world has managed to “eliminate 700 al-Queda operatives, including 45 key figures.”
That being the case, he said, for the United States to say that Pakistan has done very little with the $10 billion in U.S. aid is unreasonable, just as it is to suggest that the money has been misused.
“A trillion dollars has been spent on Iraq,” Musharraf said. “The $10 billion is a pittance for a country that has taken a lead role in fighting terrorism.
“We are together on strategy, but don’t dictate to us how it has to be done in our country,” Musharraf said, his voice rising. “It’s in the interest of Pakistan, whose people are tired of suicide bombers, to end terrorism. We’re not doing it for you.”
He said unless the world takes a “holistic approach” to its war on terrorism, nothing much would come of it. Curbing terrorism in the remote border region with Afghanistan will not happen with military might alone, he said.
He likened terrorists to a tree, with terrorist organizations being its branches.
“Branches and leaves will keep growing unless we uproot the tree,” Musharraf said.
The roots of terrorism, he said, lie in illiteracy, poverty and not being assimilated into society, all three phenomena faced by many Muslim youth globally.
Musharraf acknowledged that many of the terrorist attacks “unfortunately” had Muslim involvement mostly because the world has been removing the leaves and branches and not taken out the root.
“The anger and frustration in Muslim youth is exploited by those who have a political agenda,” Musharraf asserted. “They indoctrinate them for terrorism,” misrepresenting the teachings of Islam.
And Musharraf warned: “Identifying terrorism with Islam is extremely dangerous to the cause of fighting terrorism.”
Musharraf acknowledged that the terrorists who brought down the World Trade Center in 2001 and were behind the 2004 Madrid train bombings and the 2005 London subway blasts were neither poor nor illiterate. Those were done out of a “sense of powerlessness arising from unresolved disputes,” he said.
Musharraf said he believes that unless political disputes are resolved, especially the important ones like those involving Palestine and Kashmir, terrorism will never end.
When asked how that could be done, Musharraf said that “forces” from the European Union, which has more credibility than the United States, should “come into play.”
“A Palestinian state,” he said, to applause, “has to be created.”
As for Kashmir, over which India and Pakistan have fought three wars and several minor disputes, Musharraf said there has to be “a give-and-take on both sides.”
He said he had moved the peace process along while he ruled Pakistan, first with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and later with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“Fleeting opportunities did come our way,” but neither country took advantage of them, he said, declining to elaborate.
It was not until someone from the audience questioned him about it did Musharraf even talk about the recent Mumbai attacks, which have further strained relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Investigations by both India and the United States point to the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group, being behind the attacks.
“If the Lashkar-e-Taiba are involved, they must be punished,” Musharraf said in response. “But at the same time, aspersions must not be cast on the Pakistani government.”
Musharraf’s talk, organized by several sponsors, including the Stanford in Government and the ASSU Speakers Bureau, is his second in a national speaking tour.
http://news.newamericamedia.org/news...d4c4edd3d376fd
must7
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Because they would only indulge in mud slinging on our own person.
I remember once Gen. Musharaff while he was the C.E. in a reply to a Pakistani journalist said "Yay sawal to Indian journalist ko kerna tha aap kiyoon ker rahay hein" .. I mean a question which brought bad light to Pakistan & the army was being asked in a joint forum of Indian & Pakistani journalists ! jeez ..
Well done organizers.
opinion786
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Ex-Pakistani president defends country's record in war on terror
BY ADAM GORLICK
L.A. Cicero musharraf onstage
Following his talk Friday, Pervez Musharraf spoke with Stanford political science Professor Scott Sagan, left, and answered questions from the audience in Memorial Auditorium.
Pakistan's former president defended his country's record on combating terrorism Friday, and said Pakistan hasn't received enough financial support or international credit in its fight against groups like al-Qaida and the Taliban.
"We have been a victim of terrorism," Pervez Musharraf told a capacity crowd in Memorial Auditorium. "It is wrong to think of Pakistan as a perpetrator, as a cause of terrorism."
Musharraf, who resigned his post in August under the threat of impeachment, was defensive about the money Pakistan received under his watch from Western countries in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He said the $10 billion contributed by the United States was a miniscule amount compared to the funds given to Afghanistan and Iraq.
"There is no misuse of these funds," he said. "They are utilized. This is pittance for a country which is in the lead role to fight terrorism. We must get much more."
Throughout his hour-long speech, Musharraf kept returning to his comparison of terrorism to a tree. He insisted that trimming leaves and cutting away branches does nothing to keep either one from growing.
"We cannot stop their growing unless we attack the root," he said.
And at the root of terrorism is illiteracy, poverty and political alienation, he said. He said those issues are being exploited in Islamic countries by terrorists who can easily attract a new recruit with promises of heavenly glory in exchange for exploding themselves in a suicide bombing.
"You're told you go to heaven and everything is hunky-dory there," he said. "You're told you're going to be received there by the prophet. And he's illiterate enough to fall to this stupid propaganda."
He said Pakistan has taken the leading role in fighting al-Qaida and the Taliban, despite little support from the West. He traced his country's involvement with the Taliban to 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. With American encouragement, Pakistan helped arm the Taliban to fight the Soviets.
"Pakistan was the leader," Musharraf said. "You expected us to be a part of this jihad, and in many ways it was in our favor."
But after a decade of aiding the United States, Musharraf said Pakistan was left in the lurch. For 12 years, Pakistan was on its own to deal with Islamic extremists and increasing poverty while Europe gathered the spoils at the end of the Cold War.
"We got nothing," Musharraf said. "Everyone left us, abandoned us, and said, 'You're on your own.'"
It was during that time when Musharraf began his turbulent nine years running the country. He came to power as Pakistan's chief executive in 1999 following a military coup that ousted Nawaz Sharif, the elected prime minister. He appointed himself president in June 2001, and has dodged several assassination attempts.
After the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, Pakistan became an important—albeit unstable—American ally in fighting terrorism. Musharraf pledged to combat Islamic extremism, but he found himself juggling his Western partnership with criticism that Pakistan still maintained relationships with Taliban leaders and failed to control militants operating in the country and close to its borders.
Musharraf's power unraveled in 2007. With Pakistan's Supreme Court poised to invalidate his re-election as president in October, he jailed several of the court's justices, suspended the constitution and arrested thousands of his political opponents. Facing impeachment in August 2008, he announced his resignation during a televised address.
Fresh accusations that Pakistan is a safe haven for terrorists came after an attack late last year in India that left hundreds dead and injured. Indian authorities blame Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group, for carrying out the mission.
The incident has brought relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors to a boil, and Musharraf warned against New Delhi's saber rattling.
"The people of India want war," he said. "The people of Pakistan do not want war, but will not shy away from war."
Musharraf drew sharp questions and criticism from students in a question-and-answer session following his talk.
"Why should we believe anything you said," one student, who said he was from India, asked after ticking off a litany of accusations against Musharraf ranging from political corruption to assisting terrorists.
"I don't agree with any of the words you said," the former president shot back. "It is your word against mine."
Musharraf's appearance was organized by Stanford in Government and the ASSU Speakers Bureau. It was co-sponsored by the Public Policy Program, Stanford in Washington, the Center for International Security and Cooperation, the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, the International Relations Program, the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies, the Bechtel International Center, the Stanford Journal of International Relations and the Muslim Student Awareness Network
BY ADAM GORLICK
L.A. Cicero musharraf onstage
Following his talk Friday, Pervez Musharraf spoke with Stanford political science Professor Scott Sagan, left, and answered questions from the audience in Memorial Auditorium.
Pakistan's former president defended his country's record on combating terrorism Friday, and said Pakistan hasn't received enough financial support or international credit in its fight against groups like al-Qaida and the Taliban.
"We have been a victim of terrorism," Pervez Musharraf told a capacity crowd in Memorial Auditorium. "It is wrong to think of Pakistan as a perpetrator, as a cause of terrorism."
Musharraf, who resigned his post in August under the threat of impeachment, was defensive about the money Pakistan received under his watch from Western countries in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He said the $10 billion contributed by the United States was a miniscule amount compared to the funds given to Afghanistan and Iraq.
"There is no misuse of these funds," he said. "They are utilized. This is pittance for a country which is in the lead role to fight terrorism. We must get much more."
Throughout his hour-long speech, Musharraf kept returning to his comparison of terrorism to a tree. He insisted that trimming leaves and cutting away branches does nothing to keep either one from growing.
"We cannot stop their growing unless we attack the root," he said.
And at the root of terrorism is illiteracy, poverty and political alienation, he said. He said those issues are being exploited in Islamic countries by terrorists who can easily attract a new recruit with promises of heavenly glory in exchange for exploding themselves in a suicide bombing.
"You're told you go to heaven and everything is hunky-dory there," he said. "You're told you're going to be received there by the prophet. And he's illiterate enough to fall to this stupid propaganda."
He said Pakistan has taken the leading role in fighting al-Qaida and the Taliban, despite little support from the West. He traced his country's involvement with the Taliban to 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. With American encouragement, Pakistan helped arm the Taliban to fight the Soviets.
"Pakistan was the leader," Musharraf said. "You expected us to be a part of this jihad, and in many ways it was in our favor."
But after a decade of aiding the United States, Musharraf said Pakistan was left in the lurch. For 12 years, Pakistan was on its own to deal with Islamic extremists and increasing poverty while Europe gathered the spoils at the end of the Cold War.
"We got nothing," Musharraf said. "Everyone left us, abandoned us, and said, 'You're on your own.'"
It was during that time when Musharraf began his turbulent nine years running the country. He came to power as Pakistan's chief executive in 1999 following a military coup that ousted Nawaz Sharif, the elected prime minister. He appointed himself president in June 2001, and has dodged several assassination attempts.
After the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, Pakistan became an important—albeit unstable—American ally in fighting terrorism. Musharraf pledged to combat Islamic extremism, but he found himself juggling his Western partnership with criticism that Pakistan still maintained relationships with Taliban leaders and failed to control militants operating in the country and close to its borders.
Musharraf's power unraveled in 2007. With Pakistan's Supreme Court poised to invalidate his re-election as president in October, he jailed several of the court's justices, suspended the constitution and arrested thousands of his political opponents. Facing impeachment in August 2008, he announced his resignation during a televised address.
Fresh accusations that Pakistan is a safe haven for terrorists came after an attack late last year in India that left hundreds dead and injured. Indian authorities blame Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group, for carrying out the mission.
The incident has brought relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors to a boil, and Musharraf warned against New Delhi's saber rattling.
"The people of India want war," he said. "The people of Pakistan do not want war, but will not shy away from war."
Musharraf drew sharp questions and criticism from students in a question-and-answer session following his talk.
"Why should we believe anything you said," one student, who said he was from India, asked after ticking off a litany of accusations against Musharraf ranging from political corruption to assisting terrorists.
"I don't agree with any of the words you said," the former president shot back. "It is your word against mine."
Musharraf's appearance was organized by Stanford in Government and the ASSU Speakers Bureau. It was co-sponsored by the Public Policy Program, Stanford in Washington, the Center for International Security and Cooperation, the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, the International Relations Program, the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies, the Bechtel International Center, the Stanford Journal of International Relations and the Muslim Student Awareness Network
opinion786
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A new website dedicated to Musharraf: MusharrafPakistan.com - Home
must7
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Opion .. you just made my day. Thanks a lot for the link.
SSGPA1
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Thanks a bunch!
moha199
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President Zardari and PM should be talking like him, I look up to him, May Allah bring him back to power amin, He got trashed by Pakistanis but still he is serving his people. This is what you call a real Pakistani soilder............ Long live Pakistan, Long live Musharraf, Amin
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