Put a lid on it

The repression of political freedom in Pakistan continues.

Political expression, freedom of movement, public discourse and the right to assemble has been suppressed by 63 year old military strongman Pervez Musharraf.

This is the third time that he has suspended the constitution to prop up his tenuous hold on power. He has also been on the receiving end of bad things, as when ex-president Nawaz Sharif, tried to oust him and even prevented him from landing at Karachi: disaster was averted in the nick of time by military intervention.

He came to power through a bloodless coup that upstaged an incompetent leader, Sharif, who himself was previously sacked by a constitutional intervention. Sharif was subsequently exiled to Saudi Arabia, although the Pakistan Supreme court has since ruled that his exile was unconstitutional.

Musharraf is pro-west and enjoys US backing, because he is opposed to Islamic extremism, took action against Al Quaeda and has extended the olive branch to Jews in his country. The problem he now faces is that suppression of the will of his people, for whatever reason, is creating a pretext for the very extremism he has tried so hard to prevent. This will draw a reluctant Pakistan straight into the middle-east equation as the eastern-most nation in the east-west Islamic axis. This will align them with Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, as well other Arab neighbors.

A highway through the disputed Kashmir and down the Hindu-Kush corridor, over the Euphrates river towards the battle plains of Armageddon, is now unavoidable and prophesy is falling into place as I write. Another front is opening in Turkey, who have amassed100,000 troops on the Iraqi border in preparation for an all-out offensive against Kurdish forces. Turkey is the gateway to Europe and Iran is already engaging Russia, a process that will bring Gog and Magog into the fray.

These are perilous times. The dollar is reflecting the anxiety of the free world, as it concedes ground to Gold, a process that is marginalizing US dominance of the region whilst domestic issues and upcoming elections take precedence. The world is on edge – great things are happening. How long it will take to mature is uncertain, but the next decade will introduce a global crisis to a world that is already reeling from environmental issues.

© Peter Eleazar at http://www.bethelstone.com/