Talk vs Action - Failure to Use Our Leverage in Pakistan

Ms. Bhutto, who was elected when Pakistan previously had a democracy, said it best when she asked the American President:

"Do More than Mere Rhetoric." That describes in a nutshell the President's failure to stand up for democracy in Pakistan.

This is unfortunate since we have the leverage button if only we (i.e. the President) would push it.

The bizarre notion that suspending aid will hurt the "War on Terror" makes no sense when Musharraf has pockected over $8 billion and his troops run out of ammo in shootouts with Al Qaida, forcing Pakistani soldiers to be taken prisoner by a few renegades up against an army. If $8 billion doesn't buy the Pakistani troops ammo for a shootout, or support when they are trapped, where did the money go -- into the dictator's pocket?

Our $8 billion certainly didn't keep Musharraf from cutting a peace deal with the Al Qaida on the Northwest frontier where bin Laden's group hides out. It didn't buy the backup the Pakistani troops should have had, like an airdrop of ammo, instead of being abandoned defenseless in an outpost.

The failure to fight for democracy in nuclear Pakistan, by President Bush avoiding making even a serious threat of cutting additional military aid to Pakistan until elections are restored, makes us look two-faced and weak. Is that our policy --we are for democracy worldwide except when we favor a dictator who takes $8 billion of our taxpayer money and wages a phony war against Al Qaida with whom he cuts a peace deal -- what kind of U.S. policy is that?

Not smart. And not in our security interest either.

What does make sense is using the aid cutoff to restore elections. Then when Ms. Bhutto, if elected in January (and who has been an Al Qaida assassination target), would wage a more aggressive war against Al Qaida --AND restore moderate democracy in nuclear Pakistan?

The President needs to use his famous tough talk where it will actually do some good - in Pakistan. Or risk looking like a hypocrite...