South Asia News
Bush tells Musharraf to abandon military post
Nov 7, 2007, 20:56 GMT
Washington - US President George W Bush said he telephoned Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday to tell him the United States expected him to hold elections and that he must step down as the head of the country's military.
'My message was that we believe strongly in elections and that you ought to have elections soon, and you need to take off your uniform,' Bush said at a press conference with French President Nicholas Sarkozy. 'You can't be the president and the head of the military at the same time.'
Musharraf, facing growing unrest against his rule, suspended the constitution over the weekend, prompting thousands of protestors to take to the streets. Police responded swifty, arresting thousands of political opponents and protestors in a violent crackdown.
Musharraf is an important US ally in the war on terrorism but has been criticized at home for his close relationship with the United States. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had urged Musharraf against declaring the state of emergency and has continued to press him to hold elections on time in January.
Rice announced the US government will review hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Pakistan following Musharraf's declaration.
Sarkozy, who has sought warmer ties with the United States since replacing Bush nemesis Jacques Chirac three months ago, joined Bush in calling for the elections to take place as scheduled.
'You cannot combat extremism using the same methods as extremists,' Sarkozy said. 'And it is very important, it is of the essence, that Pakistan organize elections.'
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
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@ grey-haired granny:
Amen! Of course George is too damn coward to consider anything patriotic such as your proposition, and even if he would do it, we'd be worse off winding up with Dick Cheney.
I call for anyone in the Pentagon (or the cabinet), to finish off both Cheney and then G.W. Bush -- in that order -- with poison, bullets, explosives, whatever.
The U.S. must get rid of the duo -- it's imperative for the safety of the world at large; these two are plain mad!
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Grey-haired GrannyNov 8th, 2007 - 04:26:03
George, you lying, two-faced, piece of excrement. You are telling a General and leader of a country to shed his uniform? What about you as commander in chief of your armed forces and elected ruler? Don't you see the parallel? Oh, but I forget, you're a Bush, and the normal things just don't apply to you, do they? Maybe you should drop the uniform. You are a useless draft dodger, who never served his country. Maybe you should resign the Presidency. You are a useless monkey who has mis-lead his country into ruin.
But then all your porcine friends got fatter, eating out of the public trough, didn't they? So, you are a hero to some. You are a disgrace to your country and countrymen. Do the honorable thing, George, Shoot yourself in the head. You've had enough practice shooting yourself in the mouth and the foot. Be a man, George, take one for your country. Take one in the head. I lost two fine young grandsons to you. No more. Do it George. Do it now.
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