Letters

Pakistan's Predicament

It is absolutely refreshing to read Colum Murphy's penetrating and insightful analysis of the current political situation in precarious and fragmented Pakistan ("Pakistan's Last Bid for Democracy," November 2007).

The huge suicide blasts that took away more than 140 lives and injured many more after former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's return in October was a sure warning sign of further aggravation of the already fragile political, social and economic condition in the country.

The newly re-elected President Pervez Musharraf is fast losing his people's support, mainly because of his ever-closer affiliation with the United States. In the years of his being coaxed (if not coerced) by the U.S. to weed out the Taliban and al Qaeda, Mr. Musharraf has unwittingly incurred the wrath of the Islamic fundamentalists and caused the tribal uprisings in the western and southern parts of the country.

Ms. Bhutto's homecoming may not really help to alleviate the turbulent nation, and the return of Nawaz Sharif could likely aggravate the situation further due to the unavoidable struggle between supporters of the leading parties for political advantage.

The whole bombing episode does not bode well for the future of the country. Despite the billions of dollars the U.S. had dumped in, most Pakistanis would want to see Washington refrain from messing with their nation's internal affairs. Perhaps the U.S. should find alternative means of pursuing and eradicating its targeted terrorists, and in the meantime, leave Pakistan to mend its own chaotic predicament.

Hong Kong

Lee Teng-hui evades the question of Taiwan independence in his interview with you ("The Father of Taiwanese Identity," November 2007). In an interview with me in 1997 for the Times (London)–which he requested–then President Lee said in Chinese, Japanese and English, "Taiwan is independent." Beijing said and did nothing about this.

Jonathan Mirsky

London