http://ultrabrown.com/posts/violating-the-prime-directive Arts and politics of the South Asian diaspora Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:27:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 http://ultrabrown.com/posts/violating-the-prime-directive/comment-page-1#comment-7993 Darth Paul Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:08:23 +0000 http://www.ultrabrown.com/posts/the-prime-directive#comment-7993 We're by far The Confederation from Tripping the Rift rather than the Star Trek Federation. We’re by far The Confederation from Tripping the Rift rather than the Star Trek Federation.

]]> http://ultrabrown.com/posts/violating-the-prime-directive/comment-page-1#comment-7986 SP Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:04:19 +0000 http://www.ultrabrown.com/posts/the-prime-directive#comment-7986 Yeah, it seems a bit silly, but from a purely pragmatic perspective, the Americans have to try to protect Musharraf a bit - they've sunk so much money in him that as far as the fundies are concerned, he's always going to be their man, and they feel they can't afford too dramatic a transition because that might put Mush and his people in danger. The Shah of Iran frame is a useful one that has become more popular in recent months in Washington with regard to Musharraf, but the American FP establishment took two lessons from that experience, not just one: the first is, of course, that you can't afford to keep backing someone manifestly unpopular till a revolution comes, but you have to prepare a transition; but the second is that if you let go of your man completely, you make yourself vulnerable to the vindictiveness of the victors too. The Americans don't think they can afford that, though I think it's an exaggerated reading of the situation anyway. Yeah, it seems a bit silly, but from a purely pragmatic perspective, the Americans have to try to protect Musharraf a bit - they’ve sunk so much money in him that as far as the fundies are concerned, he’s always going to be their man, and they feel they can’t afford too dramatic a transition because that might put Mush and his people in danger. The Shah of Iran frame is a useful one that has become more popular in recent months in Washington with regard to Musharraf, but the American FP establishment took two lessons from that experience, not just one: the first is, of course, that you can’t afford to keep backing someone manifestly unpopular till a revolution comes, but you have to prepare a transition; but the second is that if you let go of your man completely, you make yourself vulnerable to the vindictiveness of the victors too. The Americans don’t think they can afford that, though I think it’s an exaggerated reading of the situation anyway.

]]> http://ultrabrown.com/posts/violating-the-prime-directive/comment-page-1#comment-7974 Bob Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:50:05 +0000 http://www.ultrabrown.com/posts/the-prime-directive#comment-7974 Robert Novack just published an interesting column about Musharraf and the State Department. The link is <a href="http://www.creators.com/opinion/robert-novak.html" rel="nofollow"> Here</a>. Robert Novack just published an interesting column about Musharraf and the State Department. The link is Here.

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