Musharraf Get's It Pervez Musharraf is one of our most important allies in the Middle East. As president of Pakistan and someone who has been dealing with Islamic Radicalism for a long time, he has a far deeper understanding of terrorism and the mindset on the "Arab Street" than the neocon ideologues in the Whitehouse and the Pentagon. When asked if he thought invading Iraq as we did made us safer on CNN by Wolf Blitzer, Musharraf replied, "I think it's less safe" Asked whether he considered the invasion a mistake, the Pakistani leader said, "With hindsight, yes. We have landed ourselves in more trouble, yes." Muslims see a largely unilateral invasion of an oil rich Islamic country. We are an occupying force. Tens of thousands of Iraqi citizens have been killed and fall into the category of collateral damage. The security situation is decaying. Hunger is rampant. Medical care is spotty at best. Sadam Hussein had nothing to do with 9/11, had no stockpiles of WMD and did not have a working relationship with Al-Queda. Ossama Bin Laden has long maintained that given the chance, the US would invade an oil rich Muslim country. This administration peppered with necon ideologues has proven him right. Invading Iraq inflames the passions of Ismalic radicals who have great influence over those who attend their Mosques and Madrasas. Invading Iraq has fostered a wide and deep anti-American sentiment both in the Arab world and beyond. This administration invading Iraq as we did is a profound gift to Bin Laden. It is a powerful recruiting tool. Where it wasn't before, Iraq is now a haven for terrorists. And should it disintegrate into civil war or even elect a fundamentalist government similar to Iran, Iraq will be the new terrorist Mecca. Here we have one of our most important allies in the Middle East voicing the correct opinion that invading Iraq has reduced safety and was a mistake. It is monumental. Ther right likes to assert "liberal media.. liberal media" and continue on to say, "the media is just out to get Bush". Yet the media largely ignored this very substantial statement by an important and strategic partner. CNN pretty much stopped talking about it after the interview was aired, it was barely noted on Headline News, ABC, CBS, NBC ignored it. FOX sopke a little about but with their usual spin and dismisssal. The few large Gannet owned newspapers who did mention it, did so in passing way back from the front page. The New York Times did not perform any sort of analysis. There really is no such thing as the "liberal media". We don't even have an adequate, unbiased one. We have a coporate media who is interested in only in profit and placating people such as those who to tune in to the Rush Limbaugh show thinking they are getting factual analysis.
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