Showing posts for "Pakistan"
Just ahead of today’s Iowa caucuses Republican Rudy Giuliani delivered a speech in New Hampshire laying out new proposals for the war on terror. He called for a “surge” of troops in Afghanistan, and said the United States should be more “aggressive about ending illegal terrorist propaganda,” among other suggestions.
In the days since Benazir Bhutto’s death, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) has twice referred to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf as a “candidate” (Politico) who will be “on the ballot,” even though Musharraf will not be a candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The New York Times looks at Sen. Hillary Clinton’s relationship with Benazir Bhutto.
Time‘s The Page blog lists in full the presidential candidates’ responses to Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto’s assassination today. The candidates all expressed condolences to Bhutto’s family and followers, as well as grave concern about the region’s stability. Most of the candidates also emphasized the need for continued U.S. pressure on President Pervez Musharraf to stay on the path to democracy in Pakistan.
Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) has spoken by phone to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and urged him to “fully return Pakistan to the democratic path.”
“This is a step forward in the direction of democracy and hopefully will help rev
ive Pakistan’s political progress. However, there are still many steps that must be made. Since emergency rule was declared earlier this month, thousands of political activists have been arrested and a media blackout has ensued. I urge President Musharraf to continue in the direction of democracy, end emergency rule, and holding fair and free elections.”
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is receiving foreign policy briefings (Huffington Post) from former UN Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, fueling speculation that he may be preparing to run for the Republican nomination.
9/11 Commission (PDF) Chair Thomas Kean endorsed Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) yesterday.
The Democratic presidential candidates grappled with the issue of driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants in last night’s CNN debate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Gov. Bill Richardson said they support granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, but Obama added: “The problem we have here is not driver’s licenses. Undocumented workers don’t come here to drive,” he said. “They’re not coming here to go to the In-N-Out Burger. They’re here to work.” Richardson noted that he already has implemented a policy granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants in his state of New Mexico, calling it a “matter of public safety.” John Edwards and Sens. Joe Biden (D-DE), Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Chris Dodd (D-CT) all said they would oppose such a measure. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) objected to host Wolf Blitzer’s use of the term “illegal immigrant” in his question. “There aren’t any illegal human beings,” he said. He also said the “best way to deal” with the immigration problem is to “cancel NAFTA and renegotiate the trade agreement with Mexico.”
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on Fox News Sunday said Washington should tell Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf conditional U.S. aid to his country “may be terminated” unless Pakistan hunts al-Qaeda “in a determined and effective way” and unless free elections are held.
When CFR.org started blogging on the U.S. presidential campaign back in May 2007, the foreign policy terrain appeared relatively uncomplicated….
Before a cheering crowd of millions (WashPost) at his inauguration on Tuesday, President Barack Obama called for a “new era…
“We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who…
With Barack Obama set to become the forty-fourth president of the United States today, analysts of international affairs are looking…
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