George 'W' from Dan Quale school of duffers? Times of India
Bush's comments on stability in subcontinent evoke ire, ridicule
Ramesh Chandran
WASHINGTON: Not knowing the name of the head of Chechnya -- in this case Aslan Maskhadov -- may be understandable, but Republican presidential candidate and front-runner George `W' Bush's inability to name Prime Minister A B Vajpayee has appalled some Indian Americans. Worse, his almost incoherent attempt to invest respectability to the military coup in Pakistan by stating it has evoked a measure of "stability" in the region has invited ire and ridicule.
Unfortunately this has happened to a candidate who has all the attractive trappings and ability to possibly become an effective President and who hardly belongs to the Dan Quayle school of duffers. Apart from the fact that beginning next week he will have provided fodder for some lacerating wit to the late night trio of talk show hosts --Jay Leno, David Letterman and Conan O'Brien "goof off" on him --George Bush may have also provided a glimmer of hope to his distant rival in current opinion polls, Al Gore to close the gap swiftly. His stuttering remarks about recent events in Pakistan --"The new Pakistan General, he's just been elected, not elected, this guy took over office. It appears this guy is going to bring stability to the country and I think it's good news for the subcontinent."
'Good News?' 'Stability'? wondered South Asia experts at the Hill and in the Administration --this at a time when cross-border terrorism in Kashmir has taken a nastier turn best illustrated by the horrific slaying of the popular Major Puroshattam. Inevitably, George W's (as he is best known) many critics swiftly waded into him. His principal rival, Al Gore, remarked that although he agreed presidential candidates should not be subjected to "Pop Quizzes," he found it "troubling that a candidate for president would characterise the Pakistani takeover as good news." He also pointed out that endorsing such an unconstitutional takeover and that too in a country which had embarked on a nuclear weapons program compounded the folly.
Congressman Sam Gejdenson, ranking Democrat at the House International Relations Committee in a statement also found Governor Bush's comments "alarming and dangerous." He stated that military takeovers went against the very "core values" upon which a country like the US was founded and asked him to "reconsider his position." Rep Gejdenson had recently sponsored a Resolution condemning the coup in Pakistan.
Bush and his frantic press advisers were quick to offer a defence of this un-nuanced formulation of foreign policy. Karen Hughes, his Communications Director categorically pointed out Governor Bush was not endorsing the coup in Pakistan at all. She then pointedly remarked that "99.9" per cent of Americans including other presidential candidates may not have been able to identify the President of Chechnya. Although she may be right that most people may not have heard of Maskhadov, it is quite apparent Governor George W needs to hit the foreign policy briefing books -- especially on South Asia. Several key Indian Americans have in recent weeks been involved in fund-raising activities for Bush who are confident that a Republican will take over at the Oval office next.
Meanwhile, amid the clamour of Bush's remarks regarding the "good news" in Pakistan, bringing a more accurate perspective from the military rulers was the familiar figure of Sahibzada Yakub Khan, former foreign minister now in a new role as Special Envoy. He held meetings with National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, Under secretary of State for Political Affairs Tom Pickering, Chairman of the Asia Sub Committee in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sam Brownback and was scheduled to meet with Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott. Khan, known for his articulate, diplomatic skills and patrician demeanour has his task cut out since the Administration is still clamouring for a "timetable" for a return to a "constitutional, democratic and civilian government in Pakistan" as reflected in the remarks made by State Department spokesman Jamie Rubin.
Rubin also deferred comment on the arrival of journalist-turned diplomat Maleeha Lodhi by simply stating that it was "under review." Maleeha Lodhi's appointment, reported in this paper on October 17 and hardly unexpected, is by no means a popular one among all Pakistani Americans. Some of whom are irate that the "Chief Executive" had opted for someone who is known for close friendship with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto who has lost considerable lustre here amongst her many American admirers.
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