It's more than evident, however, to anyone who has witnessed this administration's interpretation of democracy in Iraq, and their tacit support for the dictator of Pakistan since his 1999 coup, that there is nothing more important to them than the preservation of any appearance of democracy which preserves their fellow autocrats in power.
In an interview with ABC News, shortly before her killing, Bhutto condemned Musharraf's "political power grab . . . which has cost the nation our constitution. "
"Gen. Musharraf needs to be told very plainly that it's important for Pakistan that the constitution be restored, that the judiciary be respected, that political prisoners be released, and that fair, free, and independent elections be held under an independent election commission," she said.
"I'm very, very concerned because I feel that the radicals are gaining in strength," she continued. "And I feel they are trying to take advantage of the dictatorship, to spread their extremism and militancy. Extremism feeds off dictatorship and dictatorship feeds off extremism. Dictatorship needs the extremists to tell the rest of the world, "We're the good guys; support us or the extremists will take over." And in the meantime, the extremists need the dictatorship, which neglects the rights of the people, the wants of the people, the needs of the people. And by exploiting that they advance."
And, by exploiting that dictatorship the Bush administration also intends to advance its anti-democratic agenda, as well.
In an interview with ABC News, shortly before her killing, Bhutto condemned Musharraf's "political power grab . . . which has cost the nation our constitution. "
"Gen. Musharraf needs to be told very plainly that it's important for Pakistan that the constitution be restored, that the judiciary be respected, that political prisoners be released, and that fair, free, and independent elections be held under an independent election commission," she said.
"I'm very, very concerned because I feel that the radicals are gaining in strength," she continued. "And I feel they are trying to take advantage of the dictatorship, to spread their extremism and militancy. Extremism feeds off dictatorship and dictatorship feeds off extremism. Dictatorship needs the extremists to tell the rest of the world, "We're the good guys; support us or the extremists will take over." And in the meantime, the extremists need the dictatorship, which neglects the rights of the people, the wants of the people, the needs of the people. And by exploiting that they advance."
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