So Many Republican Hypocrites, So Little Time

November 9, 2007 | SEND TO A FRIEND | GET EARLY NOTICE OF THE HOTW

Pervez Musharraf

Welcome back to the BuzzFlash GOP Hypocrite of the Week.

At BuzzFlash, we have to be prepared to answer the big questions, such as "can a foreign dictator be considered a Republican?"

In the case of Gen. Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, the answer is yes. (In fact, we have already given the award to this "world leader" on August 7, 2004.) There are at least a couple of reasons why this time around.

Despite the usual phony White House patter about how Bush "wishes" Musharraf would hold elections and the like, you can be sure the leader of the military coup that took power in Pakistan years ago (1999) is launching his latest suppression of democracy with the full approval and likely assistance of the Cheney wing in the White House.

In fact, "Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told Congress on Wednesday that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is an 'indispensable' ally in the U.S.-led war on terrorism and that 'partnership with Pakistan and its people is the only option.'"

As usual, the White House was being deceitful, because there are options to Musharraf, such as former Prime Minister Bhutto. It's just that Musharraf is a "made man" in the world of disastrous Bush foreign policy.

More significantly, as our colleague Will Bunch at the Philadelphia Daily News points out, what Musharraf is doing in the name of cracking down on terrorists is a farce. In short, Musharraf is actually giving the most radical Islamic fundamentalists more self-rule, while bludgeoning and arresting the pro-democracy elite -- including an active group of lawyers.

If that isn't a Bushevik strategy, then what is?

Ever since 9/11, the Bush/Cheney cabal has used the fear of terrorists "who want to destroy democracy" as an emotional wedge to take away our Constitutional rights and -- yes -- undermine democracy through a variety of strategies. The terrorists are vitally needed by the White House to serve as an excuse for seizing more executive branch power, taking away our civil liberties, and manipulating the voting process. As with Musharraf, the terrorists are not the real target of what the Busheviks are up to; we are.

So we at BuzzFlash can answer the "big" questions: Can a foreign tyrant be named the BuzzFlash GOP Hypocrite of the Week?

Yes, and Gen. Pervez Musharraf leads this list. After all, he's running a dress rehearsal on how you can beat down the advocates of democracy in the name of fighting terrorism, while giving into the terrorist demands.

Ah, how proud Dick Cheney must be of his good buddy in Pakistan!

Until next week, remember our motto: So many Republican hypocrites, so little time.

Catch up with you soon.