Hillary frags Pakistan

By James Lewis

While the world holds its breath to see if Pakistan will explode, Senator Hillary Clinton tossed a fragmentation grenade into the fireworks factory yesterday. It may be the most irresponsible and selfish act by a presidential candidate in history.

"I don't think the Pakistani government at this time under President Musharraf has any credibility at all. They have disbanded an independent judiciary. They have oppressed a free press," she said. (Italics added)

Naturally, she also said, "I don't think politics should be playing a role in how our country responds ... to the tragedy." (italics added)

Well, she just did exactly that by denouncing President Musharraf, who has been targeted by four assassination attempts himself, and is desperately trying to keep Pakistan from falling apart. He's the one who controls those nukes that we don't want Al Qaida to get. You don't have to like him to realize that weakening his position right now is wildly irresponsible. It plays right into the hands of those who want civil war.

Suppose you're Al Qaida, and you just congratulated itself on the killing of Benazir Bhutto --- the second suicide bombing of her motorcade in a month. You now know that a likely President of the United States is on your side.

Suppose you're a Pakistani Army commander. You now know that a major candidate in the United States hates your boss. But the Pak Army is the only thing holding the country together.

Every world leader is walking on tippy-toes for fear Pak will explode. But Senator Hillary Clinton just exploited the tragedy of Bhutto's death in the most cynical and self-serving way, by tossing a smoking bomb at President Musharraf and cheerfully yelling "Catch!"

Yes, Obama and McCain are also scrambling to point out how qualified they are. But only Senator Clinton is falling back to her bomb-throwing radical days and trying to make things worse. Just for a headline, to show how smart she is. It is cynical, reckless, and stupid.

Well, Clinton has just disqualified herself from leading the United States at the most delicate and dangerous time since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

James Lewis blogs at dangeroustimes.wordpress.com/