Bush: Musharraf has not ‘crossed the line.’
Last night in an interview with ABC News, President Bush “offered his strongest support of embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf,” nearly three weeks after Musharraf declared emergency rule. Bush said that Musharraf hasn’t yet “crossed the line” and insisted Musharraf has “advanced democracy in Pakistan.” Watch it:
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden (D-DE) responded, “What exactly would it take for the president to conclude Musharraf has crossed the line? Suspend the constitution? Impose emergency law? Beat and jail his political opponents and human rights activists? He’s already done all that. If the president sees Musharraf as a democrat, he must be wearing the same glasses he had on when he looked in Vladimir Putin’s soul.”
Transcript:
GIBSON: Mr. President, let me start with foreign policy. Did you put too much faith in Pervez Musharraf?
BUSH: He’s been a loyal ally in fighting terrorists. He’s also advanced democracy in Pakistan. So far, I’ve found him to be a man of his word. The fundamental question I have for President Musharraf is, will these elections be under emergency law? Because if they are, it’s going to be hard for those of us who have believed he’s advanced Pakistan’s democracy to say that’s still the case.
GIBSON: Is there a line he cannot cross in your mind? Something that would go too far, when you might say to yourself, okay, that’s enough?
BUSH: He hasn’t crossed the line. As a matter of fact, I don’t think that he will cross any lines. Today I thought it was a pretty good signal that he released thousands of people from the jails.
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87 Responses to “Bush: Musharraf has not ‘crossed the line.’”
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Bush is so clearly envious. If real life were a novel, would this be foreshadowing? This really scares me.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:14 amMr. Bush, under your view of the Unitary Executive, Musharraf has done nothing beyond the pale…but the rest of us think he’s a petty dictator stomping on the democratic process. And alot of us think that about you as well…
November 21st, 2007 at 10:16 amOff topic — Sorry, the web page is acting strangely here. I cannot see the comments unless I highlight them. I also do not see the text boxes for entering my name.
- Albert
November 21st, 2007 at 10:16 amIt seems as though our President has no problem with suspending elections and jailing political opponents. I wish I could be shocked by this, but he did say a dictatorship would be easier, as long as he was the dictator.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:16 am100 Million Bush has spent on Pakistan securing their Nukes
November 21st, 2007 at 10:18 amIf you didn’t read the article closely, you would have assumed they were talking about BushCo’s ruling of the US, and not Pakistan. Strange how eerily similar much of it is!
November 21st, 2007 at 10:18 amJust like Craphead Dumbya has made “Progress” in Iraq, and is spreading “Freedom and Democracy”. He would love to be able to pull this off in the USA, and may still do it. Bushie is either so removed from reality, or all of this is a well designed plan. One has to wonder why the USA loves and supports dictators in the last 70 years.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:18 am“You can’t be the president and the head of the military at the same time” - Dubya
November 21st, 2007 at 10:18 amhttp://in.news.yahoo.com/071118/20/6ne56.html
November 21st, 2007 at 10:19 amOn the one hand; Musharraf is a horrible little dictator who has not only stepped over the line, but actually peed on it.
On the other hand; I am not terribly sure that Pakistan has much in the way of alternatives to him, and the situation Pakistan is in strikes me as basically being precisely the sort of situation in which a declaration of a state of emergency is appropriate.
Colour me undecided on this one.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:21 amWhat’s wrong with a little fascism between friends?
Liberals are just soooo uptight…
November 21st, 2007 at 10:21 amthis play is simply being opened on the road as a trial run before opening in the “big city…” bush is playing down musharraf’s heinous behavior in precisely the same way he would play it down when it will be HIS behavior… keep a close eye on this one..
And, yes, I DO take it personally
November 21st, 2007 at 10:22 amSo how long before our “Thief” in Charge begins “advancing democracy” here in the good ol’ USA????
November 21st, 2007 at 10:23 amBush, the most corrupt, dictatorial president this democratic country has ever seen, can’t recognize tyranny in his friends.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:23 amHe is likely scheming how he might be able to pull off the same thing here.
when are you going to WAKE UP?
stop ignoring the facts…..heed the warning signs!!!
RIP USA
November 21st, 2007 at 10:24 amIsn’t it scary that the so-called Leader on the Free World embraces a national leader that uses tactics that most petty despotic dictators wouldn’t use?
November 21st, 2007 at 10:25 amDon’t forget - Musharraf was Bill and Hillary’s friend first:
http://www.gregpalast.com/ mrs-clintons-forgotten-fling-with-the-killer-of-karachi/ #more-1896
November 21st, 2007 at 10:25 amReopen Fitzgerald Grand Jury
November 21st, 2007 at 10:28 amThis is OUTRAGEOUS!
Bush doesn’t recognize any lines; he sees no impediments; he acknowledges no constraints; he feels bound by no laws. THIS is why we need impeachment NOW!
I can shake a feeling that the neo-cons are watching Pakistan and our reactions to it very closely. I am SICKENED by the reports in the news that “The Pakistan Supreme Court …” as if a court put in place by the man who suspended the Constitution could have Constitutional legitimacy!
November 21st, 2007 at 10:29 amLet’s not forget who was the US representative who had Musharraf’s ear the weeks leading up to this…good ol’ Dick(head) Cheney.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:32 amOf course, Musharraf hasn’t “crossed any lines” in BushWorld.
Everytime he does, GDumbya backs up five yards, draws another line on the ground and says “there — I dare you to step over this one”.
When you have so few friends and allies as GDumbya, you have to practice a little patience and forbearance.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:37 amComment by toasterhead — November 21, 2007 @ 10:25 am
November 21st, 2007 at 10:38 am———————–
I love Greg Palast. I’m about to start re-reading Armed Madhouse. He skewers the Rethuglicans plenty, but I appreciate that he points out the flaws in our Democratic “heroes”, the Clintons, Al Gore, etc.
100 Million Bush has spent on Pakistan securing their Nukes
Comment by Bush Cover Ups — November 21, 2007 @ 10:18 am
Well, then it’s wasted Bushes as those nukes are FAR from secure IMO.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:41 amherr dubyah worships Musharraf and would LOVE to follow his foot steps. Mann Coulter told Bill-O that it would be a good idea to do the same thing in America. Reich-wingers hate democracy and freedom. Fact.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:44 amIn other words, Bush could do what Musharraf has done, and would still consider the U.S. a democracy.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:45 am“… If the president sees Musharraf as a democrat, he must be wearing the same glasses he had on when he looked in Vladimir Putin’s soul.â€
should be “eyes”, but, good one, biden…
…
what dubby is sayin’ is that mushy wouldn’t do and hasn’t done
November 21st, 2007 at 10:45 amanything other than what he himself would do and has done…
… and WANTS to do…
…
better said, BnF…
Happy Birthday to You, by the way…
November 21st, 2007 at 10:48 ami read the news yesterday late…
…
I love Greg Palast. I’m about to start re-reading Armed Madhouse. He skewers the Rethuglicans plenty, but I appreciate that he points out the flaws in our Democratic “heroesâ€, the Clintons, Al Gore, etc.
Comment by Vet — November 21, 2007 @ 10:38 am
Yeah. He goes after the crooks in power and takes no prisoners. It’s shameful that his stories are completely ignored on this side of the Atlantic.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:51 amIN RE the articles questions on what it would take for Shrub to say that Musharraf has crossed the line:
Deatain folks without habeus for indeterminite sentences ? Nope - been there, done that.
Torture ? Nope - been there, done that
Warrantless Search and Seizure ? Nope - been there, done that.
Lie to the country ? Nope - BTDT
Subvert the constitution ? Nope - BTDT
etc. etc. etc.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:52 amShruby looked into Pervy’s soul and said, “OOooooooooo, I think I really like this guy”.
Dick and George are not finished with us yet. Folks ticking off the days until 01/09 thinking this is all there is are going to be in for a shock.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:52 amBlah, blah, blah.. Same theme: Standing by your man. The Bush and Mush show.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:52 amWaterboard this a$$hole with the blood of the people he’s killed.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:56 amSo, a dictator in an extremist Muslim country, that has WMD’s, has a history of human rights abuses, and a history of harboring terrorists, has not “crossed the line”? What was the justification for attacking Iraq? BTW, although I was referring to Pakistan in that first sentence, the same could be said about Saudi.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:58 amJust a “detour”
White House press secretary Dana Perino said in an e-mail message that the president was sincere in his comments to ABC. “He does believe that President Musharraf believes in democracy, and there is evidence to that fact based on the reforms he’d put in place over the last several years,” she said. “Musharraf has made a mistake and took a detour — we are hopeful that he will restore the constitution and get the country back to that path to democracy.”
Suspending the constitution: it’s simply a wrong turn - nothing to worry about. (yeah right)
November 21st, 2007 at 11:02 amMind if I hit rewind for a second?
1999: In an interview, future President Bush is unable to name the leader of Pakistan.
http://www.cnn.com/ ALLPOLITICS/ stories/ 1999/ 11/ 05/ bush.popquiz/
2001: In an effort to prevent war, the Taliban proposes to extradite Osama Bin Ladin to Afghanistan for trial. Gen. Musharraf vetoes the plan, saying he could not guarantee Bin Ladin’s safety.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:02 amhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/ news/ main.jhtml?xml=/ news/ 2001/ 10/ 04/ wpak04.xml
Can’t we impeach this clown already? If Bush cannot find this mythical line that Mushareff has long ago crossed, the congress needs to stand up and show it to him.
All military aid to Pakistan Ends until free and fair elections take place. Then the new government and the US can work out new terms for aid.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:03 amChris L
You forgot “Has already sold nuclear weapons technology to North Korea.”
November 21st, 2007 at 11:04 amI swear, I hate that smirky little fascist bastard more than I’ve ever hated anyone in my entire life - !!
The pre-emptive war, 3800 dead Americans, the lies, the crapping on the Constitution, the hijacking of America by these fundie freaks - Chimpy has a hell of a lot to answer for……
November 21st, 2007 at 11:10 am#36 Edit: Oops, OBL to Pakistan.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:10 amBush’s assessment is hardly surprising, coming from a man who on at least three occasions proclaimed “a dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier.”
For more, see:
November 21st, 2007 at 11:12 am“Pakistan Irony Watch.”
Must see:
http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/ 2007/ 11/ 21/ we-believe/ #comment-23865
November 21st, 2007 at 11:14 amIt is one thing for Bush to embrace a dictator out of perceived convenience, or a sense that there are no better options for now. It is another to make these kinds of remarks, which are clearly unhinged from reality. I find these comments more than disturbing; they strike me as a harbinger of what Bush might do when the day of reckoning for his crimes approaches.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:15 amPakistan and Saudi Arabia are dictatorships… shame on Bush for sacrificing principle to be allies with these people…
November 21st, 2007 at 11:16 amI think Bush deserves support. I am thinking hemp, or a good nylon.
WTF? This despicable snot has taken our country down a dark road. We torture, we start preemptive wars, we sneer at habeus corpus, we eavesdrop on our citizens, we rob from the poor to give to the rich. And this is America?
And this evil bastard sees nothing wrong in any of this or anything Musharreff has done.
He deserves the same support that Mussolini got.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:16 am#28 - Katy, thank you.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:17 amBush is such a fricking moron and total embarrassment to the country, the world and humanity in general. PLEASE Stop posting the crap that comes out of this idiot’s mouth. It depresses me all day when I am exposed to it.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:18 amThis is a scary time for our country. The more I see Bush support other dictators, the more I wonder if he is taking notes concerning his possibilities to ‘take a small detour’.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:20 amChris L
You forgot “Has already sold nuclear weapons technology to North Korea.â€
Comment by Bruce Gorton — November 21, 2007 @ 11:04 am
#
I also forgot “refuses to sign nuclear non-proliferation treaty”
November 21st, 2007 at 11:23 amLet’s see…
Musharraf is a dictator who has suspended the constitution.
He DOES have WMD’s (nukes).
Osama, mastermind of 9/11, is in his country.
So he’s OK by AWOLBoy.
Let’s invade Iraq and Iran!!!
Sincerely,
NRA Gun Nutes
November 21st, 2007 at 11:24 amChris L
“Is in an off-again, on-again war with one of America’s allies”?
November 21st, 2007 at 11:25 amI know this is a little old and I ignore other comments about it but I just can’t help thinking that Bush and Chaney will not give up dictatorial control of US no matter upcoming elections or not elections. Bush has enough economic support in this country to sustain a dictatorship…corporations and 30% of fascist population can and may seek control of USA.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:26 am“If the president sees Musharraf as a democrat, he must be wearing the same glasses he had on when he looked in Vladimir Putin’s soul.â€
Joe Biden’s been getting off some great zingers lately.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:28 amCertain countries do not understand the concept of “Democracy”. Pakistan is a good example of such a country. The US and President Bush should desist from imposing our brand of Democracy on such nations. We should spend our resources on ensuring that nothing emanating from that nation even remotely harms our national security. If we suspect anything to that effect, we should swiftly and decisively that that threat out.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:28 amWho are Bill and Hillary?
November 21st, 2007 at 11:29 amEwww - did someone just let a skunk in? I smell something stinky.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:38 amIndia and Pakistan gained their freedom 60 years ago
November 21st, 2007 at 11:50 amsorry I meant ONLY India gained their freedom 60 years ago , Pakistan aligned with the US and is now paying the price
November 21st, 2007 at 11:50 amTo think Congress voted almost unamimously to suppy India with enriched Uranium although NOT a member of the NPT
India last month rejected that offer, bacuse they did not want to be tied to America
Pakistan needs their freedom like india
November 21st, 2007 at 11:53 amThis is the main problem
New IAEA regulations should keep newcomers away from producing their own enriched uranium. The US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and Japan will become the world’s nuclear filling stations. Under the auspices of the IAEA these suppliers will dictate the rules, the prices and the currencies they want to get paid in. Iran has become the pretext and test case for their plans
THATS WHY INDIA REJECTED THE US URANIUM
November 21st, 2007 at 11:56 amhttp://www.mathaba.net/news/?x=551761
November 21st, 2007 at 11:58 amwhat shit Bush , hes a dictator who seized power , GOD that man is thick
November 21st, 2007 at 11:59 amBush has enough economic support in this country to sustain a dictatorship…corporations and 30% of fascist population can and may seek control of USA.
Comment by henry wallace
Then we will have our second revolution to take back our country. Rioting in the streets and massive general strikes. Economic support for the president only lasts if the people (you and me) buy the stuff they are selling. Just starve the businesses out.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:06 pmThe New IAEA regulations should keep newcomers away from producing their own enriched uranium. The US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and Japan will become the world’s nuclear filling stations. Under the auspices of the IAEA these suppliers will dictate the rules, the prices and the currencies they want to get paid in. Iran has become the pretext and test case for their plans. The problems of tomorrow’s world economy are being shaped today.
Just listen to Bushes words more carefully , the democrats know this too
http://www.mathaba.net/news/?x=551761
we now have an anti-Iranian alliance of the US and E3. They smell the opportunity for a coup to seize world’s nuclear fuel market. To succeed, they would just need some legal sauce on the prohibition of uranium enrichment by non-nuclear-weapon states, with Iran as example. And a UN Security Council resolution would be enough, if it legalizes IAEA’s stand that it can forbid countries to enrich uranium.
Of course, they would make it impossible for Iran to stay within the Non-Proliferation Treaty then. To succeed their coup, they will have to take care, that Iran does not leave the organization before a resolution is successfully voted. For if so, there would not be any ground for a resolution anymore.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:11 pmYou’re doing a HECK of a job, Mushie!!
November 21st, 2007 at 12:27 pmOh no when Dubya says you are doing a “fine job” look out. You won’t have that job much longer, just ask Brownie or Fredo. An endorsement from Dubya is the big kiss off. Not even Rudy Gouliani want’s Dubya’s endorsement. Maybe Tom (the hate mongor) Tancerdo might except Dubya’s support. You don’t see John (Kiss up) McCain running around touring with Dubya do you? They all know what happens to (FOB) Friends of Dubya, they get taken for a ride. And there is no use if asking not to go, “For old times sake”, you get the same response as in the movie, The God Father, “Can’t do it Pauli”. The next thing you know the lights go out and it’s all over for your career.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:41 pmWho are Bill and Hillary?
Comment by Marcus Aurelius — November 21, 2007 @ 11:29 am
November 21st, 2007 at 12:45 pmThe last elected Presidents of the United States
Dear Mr. Bush: Did Hitler cross the line? Did Stalin cross the line? Did Mussolini cross the line?
Musharraf believes in democracy about as much as Bush believes in democracy: zero, zilch, not a droplet.
Bush believes in stolen elections, rigged elections, hacked elections, Diebolded elections. If Bush had any respect for democracy, he never would have allowed his brother Jeb Bush, Florida Governor in 2000 and Katherine Harris, Florida Secretary of State in 2000 and a few of their thugs to throw off thousands and thousands of duly registered black voters off of the Florida election rolls on the absurd basis that their names resembled those of Texas felons…
November 21st, 2007 at 12:51 pmCertain countries do not understand the concept of “Democracyâ€. Pakistan is a good example of such a country. The US and President Bush should desist from imposing our brand of Democracy on such nations. We should spend our resources on ensuring that nothing emanating from that nation even remotely harms our national security. If we suspect anything to that effect, we should swiftly and decisively that that threat out.
Comment by hits — November 21, 2007 @ 11:28 am
Well, geeeee….
Bin Laden, the MASTERMIND of 9/11 is there.
How about THAT?
No, we are quagmired in Iraq, and beating the drums to invade Iran.
And Pakistan REALLY HAS NUKES.
And Bin Laden.
Nope. No threat THERE…
Sincerely,
NRA Gun Nutes
November 21st, 2007 at 12:58 pmIn other words-
“he is doing exactly what I intend to do here real soon”
Bush/Cheney
Hague Trails ‘09
Buck Fush
November 21st, 2007 at 12:59 pmWhat is in the mind of the decider? Sure ain’t brains.
November 21st, 2007 at 1:16 pmOF COURSE HE HASAN’T CROSS THE LINE! MILITARY DICTATORSHIP HAS ALWAYS BEEING THE WAY THE FSA THE FACISTS STATES OF AMERICA (FORMALY KNOWN AS USA) DELT POLITICALY WITH FORINGNER COUNTRIES! THE FSA (USA) HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE MOST BRUTAL MILITARY REGIMES, INCLUDING THAT OF SADDAN HUSSEIN’S! IT WOULD BE A SURPRISE TO EVERYBODY IF THEY (WHITE HOUSE) WENT ON ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRACY PROMOTION JUST LIKE THEY DID IN IRAQ WHEN WMD WAS FOUND TO BE A LIE! CAN ANYONE IMAGINE BUSH GOING ON ABOUT DEMOCRACY NOW??!!!!
November 21st, 2007 at 1:51 pmDubya is either drunk and on drugs or just a delusional ahole.
November 21st, 2007 at 2:22 pmevery time I see this loser’s face I grab an ice pick and puncture his face and eyes with it! When he stole the elections the first time around I knew really bad things will happen and they did (9/11). Then he stole the elections AGAIN! Now we’re looking at a failed war, devalued dollar, and an economy on the brink of collapse. The rich keep getting richer (although the dollar doesn’t go far these days). And now they want soldiers to return their bonus pay. Bravo! to all the freaks out there that support GW-dumb ass phucks! Bush’s swayed back America keeps hitting new lows. Who would have thought this country would hit such lows! We still have over a year left with this freak unless they kill him! It seems like America can’t handle another year with the Bush worm. The plan was to steal another election (4 more years to finally ruin this country). Dumping a whole lot of money into an endless war and at the same time crippling the dollar and the US economy. The rope is being pulled hard on both ends and it is about to snap. Why can’t Americans unite and oust Bush? Perhaps we’re too doped up to do anything! Doped up and brainwashed - the state of the dysfunctional american society.
November 21st, 2007 at 2:26 pmWell, to be fair, for Mushie to have crossed the line - he would have had to have already been on the other side! Since he’s NEVER been on the side of democracy - technically Bush isn’t lying. This sort of deception is classic republican ‘values’. Deceive, but do it in a deniable way! What a bunch of losers the Republicans are!
November 21st, 2007 at 2:30 pm“Dubya is either drunk and on drugs or just a delusional ahole.”
What is this “or”? :D
November 21st, 2007 at 3:30 pmBush has a dicktater krush on mushhy.
November 21st, 2007 at 3:30 pmThe unspoken part of Bush’s speach would read thus:
He hasn’t crossed any lines THAT I WOULDN’T CROSS.
Remember, this is the guy that said he’d like America to be a dictatorship, so long as he was dictator…
November 21st, 2007 at 4:54 pm#73 kasinca said, “Dubya is either drunk and on drugs or just a delusional ahole.”
Why do you think that it is only one of the above ?
November 21st, 2007 at 5:31 pmHe should finish his quate of “Musharraf has not ‘crossed the line.” with, “but how would I know, I don’t know anything.”
November 21st, 2007 at 5:54 pmSo BUSHARRAF is still legal, right?
Please compare Bush’s ideology with Stalin’s.
Any difference? Any similarities?
We are lucky people, that lunatic Bush and schrinking Dick did not yet eliminate ALL rights we are given by the Constitution.
Hhhmmm, …NOT YET!!!
November 21st, 2007 at 6:22 pmBush just loves giving the finger to the people of the United States. He does it every time he opens his mouth. He’s like a child touching something his mother has told him not to touch just so he can get a rise out of her. And he has just about as much credibility. Perhaps less.
IMPEACH HIS A$$ NOW.
November 21st, 2007 at 6:57 pmMusharraf “hasn’t crossed the line”.
Translation: “He hasn’t threatened oil profits”.
November 21st, 2007 at 7:01 pmYou folks just don’t understand Bush’s brain. Opposition is opposition. There is no difference between political rivals and terrorists. BOTH are OPPOSED. In a world of only good vs. evil, if you’re OPPOSED to those who seem themselves as good, you must, perforce, be evil. It’s really that simple…
November 21st, 2007 at 8:09 pmComment by BobSF_94117 — November 21, 2007 @ 8:09 pm
VERY TRUE Bob. Here’s everything one needs to know about Bush’s brain, aside from the damage.
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/
November 21st, 2007 at 8:17 pmIncredible in so many ways. …
November 22nd, 2007 at 2:12 pmA moment of pure ironically tragic comedy when the interviewer asks him if there is “ANY F**KING LINE” which he could cross that would be unacceptable. Bush’s scoffs it off and says and has no answer. NO F**KING ANSWER. That is the depth of his appreciation for democracy. There is exactly no distinguishing characteristic from a dictoatorship. That’s your president folks! Thanks Red America, you bunch of blathering bafoons!!!!! Move to China you freedom haters!
I think it likely Bush is head down the same path as Musharraf.
See: NSPD-51 and the Potential for a Coup d’Etat by National Emergency.
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Link:
NSPD-51 and the Potential for a Coup d’Etat by National Emergency
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:11 pm