US challenge: To make Musharraf the best dictator

One of the biggest challenges facing U.S. foreign policy today is how to make Pakistans military ruler, Pervez Musharraf, the best dictator he can be, an article appearing in the Time magazine.

New York, July 27 : One of the biggest challenges facing U.S. foreign policy today is how to make Pakistan's military ruler, Pervez Musharraf, the best dictator he can be, an article appearing in the Time magazine.

According to Peter Beiart, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, the goal may seem dishonorable, but the fact of the matter is that Pakistan has rarely enjoyed civilian rule, and for most of its history, remained under the control of the armed forces.

Beiart further goes on to say that the U.S. can't sideline Musharraf, as by Pakistani standards, he has ushered in moderate rule during his eight years in office, as opposed to the tradition of Pakistani generals promoting jihadist militants to retain power.

"Musharraf talks a good game about liberalizing Pakistani society, but his choice of allies suggests he still needs to be more serious about eliminating extremism from his country," says Beiart.

According to him, the better option is for Washington to push Musharraf to make a deal with ex--Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

"Musharraf would have to cede some power, probably by resigning his powerful post as head of the army, but could remain President while Bhutto becomes Prime Minister. He could then afford to hold free elections, since an alliance with Bhutto would give him real support in Parliament," he says.

"Such an arrangement still wouldn't be democratic, and Bhutto's previous stint as Prime Minister hardly inspires confidence in her management skills. But it would make Musharraf's government more accountable and strengthen the secular parties that are Pakistan's best long-term bulwark against Islamist rule," he adds.

"In the best-case scenario, Pakistan would gradually become more like Turkey, whose powerful military meddles in politics, but so far has tolerated the emergence of a moderately Islamic but fairly liberal ruling party, re-elected on July 22, which has strengthened civil liberties and the rule of law. Nothing would be worse for al-Qaeda and better for the U.S.," he says

A Turkish-style democracy for Pakistan is a long way off, and the U.S. needs to help it get there, says Beiart, adding "If Pakistan doesn't move in Turkey's direction, it will probably move in the Taliban's."

He concludes by saying that Musharraf may always be a dictator, but he needs to become a better one.

ANI