Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Democratic Institutions...of Pakistan


Ray McGovern writes pretty much what I was thinking as he compares the events in Pakistan that culminated in Musharraf's resignation to avoid impeachment...while, in contrast, the United States' Congress renders itself impotent in countering the abuses of the Cheney-Bush administration:

It seems the height of irony that the relatively young and fragile democracy of Pakistan has been able to successfully exercise the power of impeachment inherited from the framers of the U.S. Constitution, while the constipated Conyers-captained congressional committee cannot.

Under Pakistan’s constitution, the country has a bicameral legislature with 100 senators and over 300 representatives in the National Assembly. The president is head of state and commander in chief of the armed forces. Sound familiar?

The difference is that, even though impeachment of a Pakistani president requires a two-thirds majority in the legislature, Pakistani lawmakers summoned the courage to check Musharraf’s unconstitutional accretion of power by using their constitutional power to impeach. And, facing almost certain impeachment, Musharraf resigned.

In sorry contrast to your Pakistani counterparts, John [Conyers], you have chickened out. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?

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