Adil Najam
Just got hold of a list of major media appearances that Gen. Pervez Musharraf will be making as part of his book tour to promote In The Line of Fire: A Memoir. The book is publsihed by Simon and Schuster which will be handing much of the book tour, although it is clear that he will be asked about and will speak about much more than just the book.
(BTW, there is also a White House meeting with President Bush on Friday; so Gen. Musharraf will remain busy).
ATP had alreday written about the general’s appearance on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, and we have a ccurrently ongoing ATP Poll on Grading Gen. Musharraf’s Performance in office. I am sure there will be other appearances too, but here is a list of the key ones.
Sept. 24: 60 Minutes
Sept. 25: NBC’s Today Show
Sept. 26: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Sept. 27: NPR’s Morning Edition
Oct. 1: NBC’s Meet The Press
Although there are always surprises, those familiar with the US media landscape would agree that one could express the toughest questions on Meet The Press with Tim Russert and The Dialy Show with Jon Stewart. The Today Show and Morning Edition appearances are more likely to focus on the ‘softer’ and more personal questions. 60 Minutes can go eitehr way, depending on who is interviewing him, but is likely to be a mix of personal and political issues.
Also heard on the internet that the ghost writer for the book is Humayun Gauhar. I am not at all sure if this is true or not. If this is, in fact, true that would be something. Humayun Gauhar is another ‘PR maven’, and son of Ayub Khan’s media guru, Altaf Gauhar. Reportedly, Ayub Khan’s biography, Friends, Not Masters, was ghost-written by Altaf Gauhar.
If true, the coincidence and the connection would be just a little too perfect. Which is why I remain skeptical about the authenticity of this rumor. Readers, does anyone have a sense if this is true or not?
Video clips (in three parts) of Bush-Musharraf press conference at the White House on Sept. 22:
Mush should go now , he is himslef a big terrorist and like hijacker he has hijacked whole pakistan.
Daktar,
Mastering nuclear technology does not mean that you have to use it for bomb making only. If the government wants, they can use it for making nuclear power plants. AQ Khan and his team ensured that we have capability to use nuclear energy.
With shortage of energy in the country, will we harness nuclear technology or like BB, sign dubious agreements involving kickbacks with IPPs (Independent Power Producers) for generating power through oil (imported at huge expense) or gas (already a shortage is predicted in a few years as we are planning pipelines from Qatar etc) or coal (of which we have ample reserves but still can’t figure out how to use the high sulfur content material for efficient generation of power)
Regarding your question, are we more safe. Well, that much even Musharraf admits that now we have minimum nuclear deterrence which makes us safer.
MQ,
My contention in AQKhan episode is that he is not allowed to tell his side of story or defend the accusations levelled against him. Regarding the official pardon, he could have been made a scapegoat in national interest(just a theory).
If the President and Commander of the self proclaimed one of the best Armed Forces in the world and a nuclear power can take a 180 degree turn overnight from a threat received from not the president, nor the vice president nor the secretary of state but from deputy secretary of state, why can’t AQKhan ask for pardon if pressured by the President (again just a theory?). As mentioned earlier, the amount of stuff that he is said to have exported (more than 50 tons) could not have been done without using C-130s which in turn cannot land or take off without the permission of Pakistan Army or Airforce which means that Army and Airforce.
Musharraf has profited immensely at the expense of national exchequer by telling his side of story. Why not afford similar opportunity to others. At least, they won’t use tax payers money.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id= 3424
Hassaan,
You got me wrong. I am no admirer of dictators — of any variety. All I was saying was that true heroes do not steal or smuggle. Also, when faced with adversity they don’t easily cave in.(ZAB became a hero even to his opponents becuase he refused to ask for a pardon in the face of imminent death.) But our “hero” did all these things.
Hassaan. Why doesd it have to be binary? Maybe they are BOTH theifs? If you oppose AQ, that does not mean you HAVE to support Mush. This may be teh one and only thing he is right on.
Being an Atomic power has not been really useful. Do you earn a higher salary because off it? Are your kids schools better? Are you morre safe? Not really on any of the above. You get bragging rights, but the fact is no one really cares. The only way they care is in that they trust us even less.