1115.org

OneWorld.net:

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the United States’ two closest allies in its so-called “war on terror,” violated international law this week when a key political opposition leader was forcibly flown out of one country and into to (sic) the other, a leading human rights watchdog has charged.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia “have flouted international law” by forcibly transferring opposition leader and former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif into exile, Human Rights Watch said in a statement.
[...]
Activists describe Sharif’s forcible return as a violation of international law because the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states that “no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile,” and that “everyone has the right to return to his country.”
[...]
“The U.S. is not immune to the fallout when two of its closest allies conspire to deny a political opposition leader the right to return to his country,” said (Human Rights Watch’s Ali Hasan). “Continuing U.S. acceptance of its allies’ repression of opponents in exchange for cooperation in ‘the war on terror’ is as unwise as it is wrong.”

A Bush administration spokesperson shrugged off the news of Sharif’s deportation Monday, saying it was a matter for the Pakistanis to work through.

Fortunately, we all understand why Bush has to look the other way when Musharraf gets up to shenanigans like these. Musharraf might stop cooperating in the war on terror. Pakistan would then turn into a safe haven for al Qaeda terrorists. Senior leaders of al Qaeda might be able to hide with impunity in the remote border areas of Pakistan, even Osama bin Laden himself. Al Qaeda might regroup, and become even stronger than before. Clearly, Bush isn’t going to just stand by, and twiddle his thumbs, and let this happen. If strangling Pakistani dreams of democracy in the crib is the price we have to pay for our national security, tough cheese. At least we have the satisfaction of knowing that we’ve rendered Osama “virtually impotent“. And everyone recognizes that it’s for a noble cause. Especially on 9/11, as I write this post.