The 2007 Pakistani Presidential Elections

Hey guys, sorry I'm so late in posting this, but here it is. I've been following the turmoil over the Pakistani Presidential elections over the past few weeks, and the situations that have developed in the country apply to the themes of our class.

The cause of the recent unrest in Pakistan can be directly attriuted to the onflict over the Presidential election and the circumstances that preceeded it. General Musharraf (now President Musharraf, although technically elections won't take place until January 9th) began his campaign with a violent bang that set off a chain of further violence. Musharraf imposed military control over daily life, which meant that protesters, at first peaceably protesting, were forced to physically fight back against armed men under Musharraf's command. This violence has lead Musharraf to order the arrests and imprisonment of many ordinary citizens as well academics, politicians and justice officials (mainly judges and lawyers).

The extent of Musharraf's forced control over Pakistan extends to the point where he admits that his number one priority isn't to protect Pakistan's democracy. This agenda, however, was obvious from the start, when he first imposed a (puportedly unnecessary) state of emergency, suspended the Consitution (and the rights that it guaranteed the people), removed and put the Chief Justice under house arrest, and arrested and imprisoned all of his most active political opponents (including, during the elections, Benazir Bhutto, the current Prime Minister of Pakistan). He has imposed military rule over the Pakistani people, and removed five of the six justices of the supreme court, replacing them with his own judges. In effect, Musharraf has imposed a virtual dictatorship over the Pakistani public.

There are several questions I have in relation to these events that also connect to the themes that we discuss in class. The first is in relation to the subject of upstanders: what happens when the actions of an upstander, or a very large group of upstanders, fail to achieve the desired end? What is the next correct course of action? The second relates to ignorance: could this ever happen in the United States? And if it could, would it be able to happen in such a blatant way, or would it happen behind closed dorrs? Either way, do you think the American people would react so "loudly", as the Pakistani people have?