Musharraf plays the U.S. and U.S. plays the world

Re “Novel diplomacy,” editorial, Sept. 24

Pakistani dictator Pervez Musharraf is a very cunning man. To satisfy the United States, Musharraf has occasionally arrested a low-ranking member of Al Qaeda and handed him over to us. But he has never made an all-out effort to arrest the top leadership.

In exchange for his cooperation, Musharraf has been able to squeeze us for billions of dollars worth of aid and fighter planes for Pakistan, which was in dire economic condition before 9/11, a God-given gift to Musharraf.

If Musharraf arrested or killed Al Qaeda’s leadership and the whole terrorist network were to collapse, would the U.S. need Pakistan? By telling reporters that he is honor bound by his autobiography publisher to keep quiet, he avoided answering an uncomfortable question and will sell more books.

CHAITANYA DAVE

Rancho Palos Verdes

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Musharraf said that the U.S. threatened to bomb his country back to the Stone Age if he did not assist the administration’s war on terrorism. The U.S. maintains thousands of nuclear weapons, as well as chemical and biological weapons, and is the world’s foremost seller of advanced weaponry.

The U.S. talks about promoting peace, freedom and democracy while it is occupying Afghanistan and Iraq and spreading democracy at gunpoint.

TED RUDOW III

Menlo Park, Calif.