Perception Verses Reality

Posted by Frank W. Hardy Feb 5, 2008

A few days ago I went to Peshawar Pakistan. In the Northwest corner of Pakistan near Warziristan (the Al Qaeda) headquarters. I landed at the airport, the day after it was reopened (following the riots after the Bhutto assassination) and proceeded to gather a newspaper for my Pakistani gardener. As I walked to the duty free shop I was stopped by a worker who saw me get off the plane. He confronted me and asked a poignant question.

“You are American,” he said.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Tell me, why did Bush [meaning American President George Bush] let Musharraf [Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf] kill Bhutto [Presidential candidate Benazir Bhutto]?”

My medulla oblongata took control and I responded (dim wittingly.)

“Why do you think Bush LET Musharraf kill anyone?”

He stopped me from proceeding and said:

“Bhutto wanted to [clean up] Warziristan and get them [Al Qaeda} out. She wanted to close the ‘Red Mosque’ and stop hate.”

I nodded my head but he continued without a breath.

“Then why did Bush do it?”

I tried to explain things I did not know but felt I had to defend as a citizen of the USA. It was going upon deft ears.

After my diatribe about separation of powers and executive orders he said.

“Bhutto would [have] help[ed] you. She was good.”

I nodded, but then he hit me with the reason for this post.

“If America wants to stop terrorism, like we do, then why do you give him billions of dollars? If you think he did not do it then don’t give him money and make him prove it.”

I could not argue and I felt dumbfounded!

“You want this paper” he said giving me a Kashmir paper knowing who I was and what I was looking for.

“Thank you, what is your name,” I asked.

“Ashed [my gardener] knows” was his answer.