Letters to the Editor
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What?
Okay, I do not think Bush has ever had a thoughtful, effective foreign policy, but this is a bit over the top. Bush did not install Musharraf - Bush had to garner support from countries as they had constituted themselves. Sure, the U.S. could have taken the position that Pakistan needed to embrace a more democratic form of government, but it is hard to say if U.S. pressure would have been a stabilizing force on Pakistan. In any event, one can make the same observation about our policies towards several nations, that we support not democracies or even democratic movements, but strong men and kings.
I'll be happy to see Bush go, but come on, he did not make Pakistan. If this illustrates anything, it is that the influence of the U.S. is limited. The only question, in my mind, is how much has our ability to influence events deteriorated during Bush's presidency?