Unelective Affinities: A Curious Coincidence in Pakistan Coup
Admiral William Fallon, commander of the US Central Command, was on a visit to Pakistan, and he actually happened to be in the general headquarters of the Pakistan armed forces in Rawalpindi when Musharraf was giving the final touches to his proclamation on emergency rule. The political symbolism was unmistakable.
Yes, wasn't it though? It seems that the long waltz (or is it a bump and grind?) between the military-security apparats of the United States and Pakistan continues. Top brass of one country always somehow happen to be on hand when major upheavals occur in the other. Who doesn't remember the remarkable coincidence of Pakistan's chief of Military Intelligence, Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Ahmad, holding meetings with top American officials -- including the future head of the CIA, Porter Goss -- on September 11, 2001? Ahmad of course, was later hustled quietly out of his post after being accused of directing a payment of $100,000 to accused 9/11 ringleader Mohammed Atta.And now Admiral Fallon, the military satrap of the all-important Central Command -- which directs the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was directly involved in the Terror War "regime change" invasion of Somalia, and will of course direct the war on Iran -- pops up just as Musharraf declares martial law, and begins to wage internal war on...not terrorists, not extremists...but lawyers and judges standing up for the last rags of Pakistan's much-shredded Constitution. Not only was Fallon in the country, he somehow just happened to be in Pakistan's military headquarters when the decree for emergency rule by, er, Pakistan's military was being put together.
Curious, ain't it?
***