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Neocon Nuttery See other Neocon Nuttery Articles Title: Bolton: US Should Support Musharraf (Thinks Dictators are good for stability) UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The United States should support President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to prevent Pakistan's nuclear arsenal from falling into the hands of Islamic fundamentalists or al-Qaida terrorists, former U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said Friday. The United States has repeatedly urged Musharraf to restore constitutional order since he seized emergency powers last week, rounded up thousands of opponents and sent security forces to break up protests. "I think, in fact, the United States has contributed to some of the instability by applying less than robust support of Musharraf," said Bolton, who stepped down as ambassador to the United Nations nearly a year ago when it became clear he could not win confirmation in the Senate. He returned to U.N. headquarters to promote his new book, "Surrender Is Not An Option." At an hour-long press conference, the staunchly conservative Bolton criticized Bush administration's policies not only on Pakistan but on Iran, Iraq, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Bolton, currently a senior fellow at the Washinton-based American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, said the spread of weapons of mass destruction is "the predominant threat of our time" and should remain the highest strategic interest of the United States. In the case of Pakistan, he said, U.S. policy should be "to maximize the chances that the weapons don't fall into the wrong hands, and I think for the moment the answer to that is support for Musharraf." "I'm not here to defend Musharraf," Bolton said. "But I am here to say that an appreciation of Pakistani history doesn't give much reason for confidence that a civilian leader can keep the military under control and keep the nuclear weapons secure." He said a coup by Islamic fundamentalists in the military or a successful assassination of Musharraf, who has already survived three attempts, could mean a radical fundamentalist regime getting its hands on Pakistan's nuclear weapons. A coup attempt could also create "a state of anarchy or confusion in the country" in which the military could lose control over some nuclear weapons "that would find their way to al-Qaida," Bolton said. On Iran, Bolton criticized the Bush administration for deferring to European efforts to try to persuade Tehran to give up its alleged quest for nuclear weapons. And he expressed little faith in diplomacy or U.N. sanctions from "dissuading Iran from its present course." On Iraq, Bolton said, the United States scored "a strategic victory" in toppling Saddam Hussein who had used weapons of mass destruction and would have "unquestionably" tried to rebuild the country's weapons programs, but should have moved faster to turn authority back to the Iraqis and reduced the American presence. On the Mideast, he said, the United States should be spending more time trying to buttress democracy in Lebanon "and less time trying to force an Israeli-Palestinian solution that isn't going to come." Bolton criticized a U.S.-organized peace conference later this month, saying neither Israel nor the Palestinians were in a position to make substantial commitments.
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#1. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
Not to be confused with his book, "Why I Sat Out the Vietnam War in the Maryland Army National Guard."
Good job - thanks.
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