Bush To Musharraf: Try Harder
Ed Morrissey
Pervez Musharraf insisted that the peace deal he signed with tribal chiefs would not interfere with the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. No one really bought it, but the Bush administration put the best face on it in order to keep Musharraf in the fold. Now that seems to have ended, and the White House has decided on a different, tougher approach to the Pakistani president:
President Bush has decided to send an unusually tough message to one of his most important allies, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the president of Pakistan, warning him that the newly Democratic Congress could cut aid to his country unless his forces become far more aggressive in hunting down operatives with Al Qaeda, senior administration officials say.
The decision came after the White House concluded that General Musharraf is failing to live up to commitments he made to Mr. Bush during a visit here in September. General Musharraf insisted then, both in private and public, that a peace deal he struck with tribal leaders in one of the country’s most lawless border areas would not diminish the hunt for the leaders of Al Qaeda and the Taliban or their training camps.
Now, American intelligence officials have concluded that the terrorist infrastructure is being rebuilt, and that while Pakistan has attacked some camps, its overall effort has flagged. ...
Pak It Up
Jules Crittenden
Cheney shows up unexpectedly and tells Musharraf what he doesn’t want to hear:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 — Vice President Dick Cheney made an unannounced trip to Pakistan on Monday to deliver what officials in Washington described as an unusually tough message to Gen. Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, warning him that the newly Democratic Congress could cut aid to his country unless his forces become far more aggressive in hunting down operatives with Al Qaeda.
Mr. Cheney’s trip was shrouded in secrecy, and he was on the ground for only a few hours, sharing a private lunch with the Pakistani leader at his palace. Notably, Mr. Cheney traveled with the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Steve Kappes, an indication that the conversation with the Pakistani president likely included discussion of American intelligence agency contentions that Al Qaeda camps have been reconstituted along the border of Afghanistan. ...
… Congressional Democrats have threatened to review military assistance and other aid to Pakistan unless they see evidence of aggressive attacks on Al Qaeda. The House last month passed a measure linking future military aid to White House certification that Pakistan “is making all possible efforts to prevent the Taliban from operating in areas under its sovereign control.” ...
Pakistan is a difficult case, and Musharraf as the article notes has to watch his back. Pakistan, though long in bed with Islamic extremists, has suffered repeated al-Qaeda attacks beause of Musharraf’s stance, and the Paks have arrested and handed over a number of top al-Qaeda leaders. Pakistan also launched an offensive into the tribal areas that was only marginally successful before it sat down to deal with the tribal leaders last summer. That deal has demonstrably failed.
As the article notes, the Bush administration has been bringing pressure and working closely to get the most out of Musharraf without jeopardizing his position for years. Now, the Dem Cong provides a conveient diplomatic tool: Cheney says, “Look, you know what I have to deal with back home, it’s out of my hands.” Now Musharraf can turn around and do the same, and make it about money. ...
