Army will not intervene, Kayani tells US lawmakers

[Neo]

Army will not intervene, Kayani tells US lawmakers ​

Saturday, 28 Feb, 2009

During comprehensive and multilateral talks between the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Parvez Kayani told US members of Congress that the Pakistani Army would not intervene in the wake of the deteriorating political situation in Pakistan, the New York Times reported on Friday.

The Pakistani army chief, who took power following the resignation of Pervez Musharraf in November 2007, has unlike his predecessor vowed to avoid army intervention in politics and government affairs.

The question and answer session, which took place in Washington, was part of a broader dialogue between the three partners in the ‘War on Terror’ taking place in Afghanistan. In response to a question by one US congressman, Kayani stated that the army would not intervene even if the political situation deteriorated further, the New York Times quoted an unnamed Pakistani official as saying.

Unprecedentedly, the three-way talks include top military, government and intelligence officials from all three countries. ‘These were not just photo ops,’ top US state department official for the region, Richard Holbrooke stated. ‘Meetings in this configuration have not taken place.’

On Thursday, Gen Kayani was inducted into the US military’s international Hall of Fame in a small yet refined ceremony at Fort Leavenworth.

 

[SSGPA1]

This is great news for Pakistan. I would love to see our politicians using this opportunity to strengthen democracy in Pakistan.

If Nawaz Sharif can show some maturity by shunning the typical gandi siyasat, then there is a good chance of a proper democratic set up in Pakistan.

For now it seems that a change of President is necessary becuase Zardari is not able to gain popularity even in interior Sindh. From the common men to the establishment of Pakistan, there is a serious lack of trust for the President.

An ideal situation will be where Nawaz Sharif is side lined with Shahbaz at the helm, Zardari out of Power and Musharraf at the President House.

 

[Energon]

Why is the chief of army staff issuing statements to the US congress in the first place?

 

[afriend]

Well a good decision. This is the opportunity for pakistan and army to prove that it can be a responsible republic.

 

[Awesome]

Why did the need arise to make such a statement?

Where there's smoke...

 

[fatman17]

pls merge with the coming coup thread.....!

 

[metalfalcon]

Gen Kayani was inducted into the US military’s international Hall of Fame in a small yet refined ceremony at Fort Leavenworth.

First of All Congratulations to Gen Kiyani on this Milestone.

 

[metalfalcon]

Pakistan Army Must remain Neutral for the best interests of Pakistan and Let Politicians Clean their Own S***T, Even a Unqualified Person Like Zardari is much Better than a Qualified Military General for Running Democracy in Pakistan.

Pakistan Army is trying to be neutral but Zardari Wants To be Stamped On His B***T By Army Boots. Pakistan Army Must not Interfere in Dirty Politics Being Played by Zardari.

 

[Patriot]

He is a great soldier and i hope Army does not intervene for at least 20 years.That way, People cannot blame Army if Politicians bring Pakistan to a poor state and if we get good politicians then that's great!

 

[muse]

Maybe there will be a Pakistan left after the politicians get through with her.

Responsiblity requires that what has been judged to be the right thing to do is done regardless of what "people" think. -- It is a great error of our understanding where we judge everything by what "the people" seem to react to.

People want a winner, a sure steady and firm hand and an iron will - they don't want constant uncertainty, constant upheal constant drama.

 

[Captain03]

good saying but we need people like kayani in politics to save our nation

 

[Cheeta]

But Zardari is going to intervene. There are rumours in the air that recently Zardari has made a plan to alter the military command set up of the country according to his choice.

 

[metalfalcon]

But Zardari is going to intervene. There are rumours in the air that recently Zardari has made a plan to alter the military command set up of the country according to his choice.

That will be the last Thing he will do In his Presidency

He forgot what happened to Nawaz Shariff when he Ignored senior Officers and Promoted Musharraf to the Rank of General, He is still paying for that ONE SILLY MISTAKE TILL TODAY.

 

[Awesome]

Maybe there will be a Pakistan left after the politicians get through with her.

Responsiblity requires that what has been judged to be the right thing to do is done regardless of what "people" think. -- It is a great error of our understanding where we judge everything by what "the people" seem to react to.

People want a winner, a sure steady and firm hand and an iron will - they don't want constant uncertainty, constant upheal constant drama.

Think about it this way, what good is a great country with idiots as a nation.

If you read Musharraf's book you'll learn about how he talks about his different experiences and you can really understand how he got to be who he is. How life's experiences, his parents moving to turkey, his crush on the Bangali girl, him falling from a tree and breaking his head, his training as an SSG, the wars, the assassination attempts and so on are the things that made him into who he is. He builds a very nice causal chain and you can see the progression.

Unforunately we've never had that progression. For good reasons or for bad, I'm not arguing that. So people will vote like idiots, big deal. What will happen? Chaos? It will also lead to a realization amongst people that their bad decisions have really bad consequences.

An example is often given, when a gazelle gives birth, within minutes the baby stands on its own, within a few hours its walking and even running with its herd. Humans aren't like that, we take months before we can start crawling maybe an year before we can walk and yet stumble.

Let us stumble, fall over, break a few bones. Ultimately, we'll run with the herd too.

The process is going to be ugly, but you got to bear with it. Will the federation break? It might, nothing is for certain right? Try your best that it doesn't without impeding upon democracy otherwise this vicious cycle will never end and we'll be an intact nation of idiots.

In the words of Habib Jalib

"Yeh jo das karore hain, jahl ka nichor hain
Inki fikr so gai, har ummeed ki kiran zulmaton main kho gai
Yeh khabar darust hai, inki maut hogai
Beshaoor log hain, zindagi ka rog hain
Aur tere (the savior army man) paas hai inki dard ki dawa"

"Tu (the savior again) khuda ka noor hai, Akal hai shaoor hai
Qaum tere saath hai, tere hi vajood se mulk ki nijaat hai
Tu hai mehr-e-subhe-nau, tere baad raat hai
Bolte jo chand hain, sab yeh sharh pasand hain
Inki kheench de zabaan, inka ghoont de gala"

Read the full poem in urdu:
http://www.letsstartthinking.org/poetry/musheer.asp3

 

[blain2]

But Zardari is going to intervene. There are rumours in the air that recently Zardari has made a plan to alter the military command set up of the country according to his choice.

HE will have to wait until Oct 2010 at least before he tries that. He should remember that his late Father-in-law tried the same and was put in his place by not one, but two Generals (First Lt Gen Gul Hassan told him to keep his hands off the Army and then Zia took care of the rest).