Denying Terrorists Their Havens
Posted by
Kevin
S president Bush on Thursday cautiously endorsed a truce between Gen Musharraf and pro-Taliban militants in Pakistan even as terrorist violence soared in Afghanistan and Al Qaida sent a sharp reminder of 9/11 with a video message ahead of the anniversary.
Bush said in an interview that he did not think the controversial amnesty deal between the Pakistani military and pro-Taliban elements in Waziristan gave a safe haven to terrorists, but added “we are watching this very carefully, obviously”.
“I don’t read it that way” Bush said when asked about the truce, which many analysts are reading as a retreat by Musharraf’s army and ceding of both territory and responsibility by Pakistan.
… Under the terms of the deal, Pakistani forces will not only withdraw from the region, but also return arms seized from militants, pay reparations, and have no say in militants coming and going from the area into Afghanistan.
Cautious endorsement from the president who has insisted all along that there’s no negotiating and can be no deal making with terrorists.
Another hypocritical flip-flop from the president who ran twice on the hype that he says what he means, means what he says and doesn’t change course.
Ironically, Bush was correct in saying terrorists can’t be trusted in negotiations — something Musharraf will probably learn in due time, to his grief.
Comment 9/12/2006