FIFTH COLUMN

Woolly Billy

By C K Lal

The expected has happened after the needless suspense over will he or will he not. Of course he will. Americans adore military dictators, the more crafty, the better. No American President has ever graced Pakistan under democracy with his visit. However, nearly every military dictator of that country had waived at Air Force One. Why should Billy, the global bully, break that tradition? So, now General Musharraf will also get to shake the hand that can destroy planet Earth many times over at the flick of a switch.

Despite the massive cover-up effort of the biggest propaganda machines in the world, it is clear that, for once, Billy the bully has been bullied by nuclear Pakistan into accepting its invitation. General Musharraf has succeeded in sticking one more ribbon on his uniform—that of having played host to the president of a country that pretends to be the guardian of democracy.

Whatever the White House apologists may say, there is little doubt that pretenders of Pakistan will portray wily Billy’s stop-over as an endorsement of its regime. May be, despite loud public protestations, that precisely is the purpose of the visit. After all, Americans are thick as thieves with the brasses in Islamabad and detest unpredictable politicians out there.

From this decision, it appears that the most powerful man in the world does need occasional brief encounters of the kindly kind with young interns to see things in their totality. If Monica were around White House, perhaps she could have offered a different perspective.

The fact is that engaging dictators—military or otherwise—seldom works. The world tried to do that with Hitler and paid a heavy price for it. While complete isolation, like that of Saddam Hussain, is equally counter-productive; it’s not possible to turn officers into gentleman by sharing jokes and anecdotes with them.

If Bill’s visit will have some positive fallout, then that’s discernible to all. It will democralize those who are fighting for restoration of democracy in their country against all odds. It will dampen the spirit of a handful of peace-mongers who are committed to opposing nuclear weapons. And it will confer some kind of an international legitimacy on an illegal regime that openly sponsors terrorism. Many of us may not like it, but it’s a sad fact that visit of an American president is construed by the world community as an endorsement of the host establishment. Evidently, by this controversial decision, wily Billy has turned into woolly Billy.

Only silver lining on this dark cloud of American President’s yatra of three countries of what once used to be British India concerns SAARC. Now, Indians will have no excuse to postpone the summit any further after they have entertained woolly Billy fully aware of his plans of conferring legitimacy on the Islamabad usurpers.