US cannot offer blank cheque to Pak's 'undemocratic President'

Washington, Aug 12(PTI) In a major setback to beleaguered
President Pervez Musharraf, the Democratic Party has said that
the US cannot offer a blank cheque to Pakistan's "undemocratic
President" as the tribal areas there have become a "santuary
for al-Qaeda" and pose a serious threat to the US and
Afghanistan.

"We cannot tolerate a sanctuary for al Qaeda. We will ask
more of the Pakistani government, rather than offer a blank
cheque to an undemocratic President," the party said in its
Draft Platform adopted by the national Convention for the
upcoming elections in 2008.

"The greatest threat to security in Afghanistan and
America lies in the tribal regions of Pakistan, where
terrorists train and plot attacks and then strike and move
back across the border.

"We need a stronger and sustained partnership between
Afghanistan, Pakistan and the NATO, including necessary assets
like satellites and predator drones, to secure the border by
wiping out terrorist camps and cracking down on cross-border
insurgents," the draft said.

Asserting that the US should help Pakistan develop its
own counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency capacity, the
party said it will invest in the long-term development of the
Pashtun border region so that the "hate crime by extremists is
met with an agenda of hope".

The draft stated that the party would significantly
increase non-military aid to the Pakistani people and sustain
it for a decade, while ensuring that the military assistance
provided is annually used to fight extremists.

"We must move beyond an alliance built on individual
leaders or face mounting opposition in a nuclear-armed nation
at the nexus of terror, extremism and instability wrought by
autocracy," the platform said.

Seeking to forge a more effective global response to
terrorism, the Democratic Party said, "There must be no safe
haven for those who plot to kill Americans. We need a
comprehensive strategy to defeat global terrorists-one that
draws on the full range of American power, including but not
limited to our military might."

The party also sought to create a "properly resourced
Shared Security Partnership" to enhance counter-terrorism
cooperation with countries around the world, including
information sharing as well as funds for training, operations,
border security, anti-corruption programs and technology along
with targeting terrorist financing.

"We will pursue policies to expand our understanding of
the circumstances and beliefs that underpin extremism, so
that we can effectively address them. A crucial debate is
occurring within Islam. The vast majority of Muslims believe
in a future of peace, tolerance, development and
democratization," the draft added.

The party emphasized that only a small minority embrace a
rigid and violent intolerance of personal liberty and the
world at large. It also observed that to empower forces of
moderation, America must live up to our values, respect civil
liberties, reject torture and lead by example. PTI SK