The General speaks today in WaPo. It is a powerfully written document. He hits quite a few nails right on the head. He critiques the Muslim world and calls for collective thought (through a body called the Organization of Islamic Conferences). He critiques the West for letting things get so bad in Palestine, Afghanistan and Chechen.
And, he gives his two-pronged strategy to cure the ails of the Muslim World:
The first part is for the Muslim world to shun militancy and extremism and adopt the path of socioeconomic uplift. The second is for the West, and the United States in particular, to seek to resolve all political disputes with justice and to aid in the socioeconomic betterment of the deprived Muslim world.
I think this is a valued effort and a much needed one. Especially, since the intended audience is Congress and policy wonks. Coming on the heels of sectarian violence in Karachi, it is important that Musharraf offers some platitudes to calm nerves everywhere. It is important, as well, that SOMEONE call for re-thinking the dynamics of Islamic polities in this world. Such voices need to be raised and they need to be heard. Let’s see if Cable News picks this up.
I am very intrigued by his use of the words Enlightenement and Emancipation. I will have to go Dipesh on those later…
discussions