The US and Great Britain, democracy-promoters in principle, do not practice it and support some fairly vile characters (some of whom they later track down spider holes and, in theory, bring to justice). In Pakistan, Gen. Musharraf is surviving an economy that is erratic to say the least and being pushed to share power with deposed PM Benazir Bhutto, a deal which the US and Britain brokered.
Musharraf, whose legality to be President is being challenged in Pakistan's high court, and whose victory cannot be officially validated until they decide, has been cagey about whether he would step down. Asked whether he would stand down if the court ruled him ineligible, Gen Musharraf said: “Let the decision come and then we will decide.”
Meanwhile in the Sudan, the US continues to dance supporting the government's intelligence efforts (and renditioning of presumed enemies) while challenging their peace efforts between north and south and despite the massacre in Darfur. The CIA operation center in Sudan is said to be the biggest spy operation center in the region.
And this is the way of the struggles between the need for intelligence and a desire to put on a face that suggests friendly relations, even with those who we fundamentally disagree. We are in a rock and a hard place, the bigger question is how did we get here.
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