Points of view on Pakistan

Re “Arrests mount in Pakistan turmoil,” Nov. 6

I was glad to hear President Bush ask Gen. Pervez Musharraf to bring democracy to Pakistan by holding elections. That is not enough. By his unconstitutional act, Musharraf has removed the country’s Supreme Court as the guardian of the people’s rights. His bogus election as president would have been correctly nullified, as he is not allowed by the constitution to run while in charge of the army.

The United States needs to ask Musharraf to return the country to where it was on Nov. 2. How can you have free and fair elections when all who participate as candidates, workers or reporters are arrested just for the sin of being players in the political process?

Pakistan needs an independent election commission, such as those in India and Bangladesh, and a neutral caretaker government. Then we have to believe in the will of the people.

Ekbal Qidwai

Newbury Park

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With Pakistani lawyers taking to the streets to oppose Musharraf’s suspension of civil liberties, it would certainly seem that Musharraf has taken note and is putting into action what Shakespeare wrote, “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.”

It is often forgotten that lawyers, both here and in countries such as Pakistan, are the first line of defense against a government’s abuse of power.

Greg W. Garrotto

Los Angeles

The writer is an attorney.

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Re “Musharraf does what dictators do,” Opinion, Nov. 6

Sanctimonious liberals crying about Musharraf’s power grab are the same arrogant hypocrites who praise maniacal dictators such as Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for “standing up against America.”

People who rationalize the power grabs, mass imprisonments and tactical starvation by totalitarian governments have little room to complain about a rogue leader who at least sides with America’s interests.

Like it or not, dealing with many foreign countries is often a dirty business because of their corruption and undemocratic nature. The choice is clear when it comes to protecting this country or listening to vile partisans who cheer for America’s demise.

Pat Murphy

Pacific Palisades

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Why add to the Bush administration’s failures by recommending the withdrawal of support for Musharraf when the alternative could be the sectarian violence of Iraq?

Saying that Musharraf has never been a democrat or a reliable ally against the Taliban implies that being a democrat in the region and fighting the Taliban are matters of willingness, not the Herculean tasks they are.

Americans cannot forget that our nation was born out of a revolution and, more significant, that one-size democracy does not fit all.

Louise Schuck Pappas

Shell Beach, Calif.