“We ought to recognize that we have an offensive responsibility to take the war to the terrorists where they are. That responsibility has waned in the last year as military and intelligence resources were withdrawn from Afghanistan and Pakistan to be used in Iraq.” YearsWarLastsUsedResponsibilityMilitaryOughtResourcesIraqTerroristAfghanistanLast YearOffensivePakistan Author:Bob Graham
“In 1988, when democracy was restored, the military establishment was still very powerful. The extremist groups were still there. And when the aid and assistance to Pakistan was cut, we had to adopt harsh economic policies. So in a way, it showed that democracy doesn't pay, and the military was able to reassert itself.” WayStillsAblePowerfulPayDemocracyCuttingGroupsEconomicMilitaryPolicyAidsEstablishmentHarshAssistancePakistanVery PowerfulExtremistEconomic PolicyExtremist Groups Author:Benazir Bhutto
“First of all, let me give my comments on the blasphemy law. This law was introduced by the military dictator General Ziaul Haq. No one demanded the blasphemy law in Pakistan. But he wanted to give protection to his undemocratic rule, dictatorship, by using religion. So Pakistan came into being in 1947, and from 1947 until 1986 no case against any minorities was registered under the protection of the blasphemy law. Nobody from minorities was killed and no act of violence happened [against them].” GivingFirstsWantedLawCasesViolenceHappenedMilitaryLet MeProtectionMinoritiesCommentDictatorshipDictatorPakistanBlasphemyActs Of Violence Author:Shahbaz Bhatti
“Obviously Pakistan and the U.S. are very different countries, but we have common geopolitical interests in preventing communist take over in Afghanistan and hence, now that Pakistan has a government that we can cooperate with, even though it is a military government, we are working together with them in order to promote our common interests. But obviously we also differ with Pakistan on a number of issues.” DifferentCountryGovernmentTogetherOrderInterestCommonNumbersIssuesMilitaryWorking TogetherCommunistAfghanistanPakistanPreventingDifferent CountriesCommon InterestsGeopolitical Author:Samuel P. Huntington
“The U.S. has and still is cooperating with various military dictatorships around the world. Obviously we would prefer to see them democratized, but we are doing it because we have national interests, whether it's working with Pakistan on Afghanistan or whatever.” WorldStillsInterestMilitaryVariousAround The WorldAfghanistanDictatorshipPakistanNational InterestsCooperating Author:Samuel P. Huntington
“You don't help a country by supporting a military regime that denies any sign of democracy, and what defeated Pakistan was its military regime.” CountryHelpingDemocracyMilitaryDenyRegimesDefeatedPakistan Author:Indira Gandhi
“Historically, several policy domains, including that of foreign policy towards the US and India, budget allocations etc, have been controlled by the Pakistani military, and the civil-military divide can be said to be the most fundamental fracture in Pakistan's body politic.” Has BeensSaidBodyMilitaryPolicyIndiaFundamentalsIncludingBudgetsEtcControlledDividesForeign PolicyPakistanDomainFractureAllocation Author:Noam Chomsky
“The military has a huge role in the economy [of Pakistan] with big stakes and, as you say, it has constantly intervened to make sure that it keeps its hold on policy making. Well, I hope, and there seem to be some signs, that the military is taking a backseat, not really in the economy, but in some of the policy issues. If that can continue, which perhaps it will, this will be a positive development.” IfsWellsBigsSeemsRolesEconomyIssuesMilitaryPolicyHugeDevelopmentStakesPakistanBackseatPolicy Making Author:Noam Chomsky
“In Turkey also, for a long time, the military was the decisive force but in the past 10 years they have backed off somewhat and the civilian government has gained more independence and autonomy even to shake up the military command. In fact, it even arrested several high-ranking officers [for interfering in governmental affairs]. Maybe Pakistan can move in a similar direction.” YearsLongFactsGovernmentPastMovingForceMilitaryLong TimeIndependenceAffairCommandShakesOfficersInterferePakistanAutonomyTurkeysCiviliansArrestedRankingMilitary Command Author:Noam Chomsky
“Similar problems are arising in Egypt too. The question is whether the military will release its grip which has been extremely strong for the past 60 years. So this is happening all over the region and particularly strikingly in Pakistan.” YearsHas BeensProblemPastStrongMilitaryHappeningsReleaseRegionsEgyptPakistan Author:Noam Chomsky
“The CIA runs the drone program in Pakistan solely, not with the military. Then there's a joint CIA-military program in Yemen, then the CIA is involved in a lot of use of spy drones around the world and in the proliferation of bases.” WorldUseRunningMilitaryInvolvedProgramBasesAround The WorldPakistanSpyJointsCiaDronesProliferationYemen Author:Medea Benjamin
“Currently, the United States has troops in dozens of countries and is actively fighting in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen (with the occasional drone strike in Pakistan). In addition, the United States is pledged to defend 28 countries in NATO. It is unwise to expand the monetary and military obligations of the United States given the burden of our $20 trillion debt.” CountryStatesFightingGivenUnitedUnited StatesMilitaryIraqBurdenDebtStrikesObligationDozenTroopsSyriaPakistanOccasionalMonetaryNatoDronesLibyaUnwiseYemen Author:Rand Paul