There is a problem with Generals making such speeches & it is this - the general is not answerable to the public at large directly. There are no consequences for him directly by the choice of that decision.
Actually there are 'populist consequences' for the institution of the Army from the content of 'speeches'. In the case of Pakistan especially, the military has a lot of influence because so many Pakistanis support it. 'Unpopular content' in a speech can easily reverse opinion about the military.
Honour or prosperity is a false choice as there is no honour in being poor.
There is no honor in being rich through a career in crime either ...
Nor for that matter any honor in being 'rich' on the basis of handouts from someone and allowing them to walk all over you. Kayani's comments in the correct context are completely appropriate.
In any case, such decisions are best left for people who are going to be held accountable by the masses for both their economic condition & for any "dishonorable" acts.
Kayani has made no 'decisions' on this issue - he has offered an opinion in a speech. If Pakistanis support such a position, Kayani, and the institution he leads, will gain more public support. If the public does not support such a position, support for the military will fall. There is nothing stopping the political leadership from implementing policies that are popular amongst Pakistanis. In fact, if anything, the reason Zardari and the PPP are so unpopular currently is because of a perception that they are not implementing policies that most Pakistanis want to see implemented.
So in terms of 'popular pressure through accountability', the PPP can (or should) see that it is paying a price in losing public support through the policies it is implementing, yet it has done very little to change course. The military appears to be acting more in line with 'accountable to the masses' and at least articulating policies that have public support.
Your political leaders must be held accountable for their decisions but they have to be their own decisions & not ones imposed/articulated by those who do not have to face an election.
The political leadership has made unpopular decision after unpopular decision, and I have yet to see any major policy position (that is unpopular) forced upon the political leadership by the military.
Btw, General Kiyani has been himself instrumental in undermining the Pakistani army/ State by accepting an extension of his tenure.
There is nothing unconstitutional about the extension, and I fail to see how the Army or the State has been undermined.
There is absolutely no logic to that decision.
Yes there is, and it has been discussed in the relevant threads.