PAKISTAN'S JUDICIAL CRISIS & U.S. HYPOCRISY

The U.S. State Department yesterday chided Pakistan and implicitly urged Gen. Pervez Musharraf to follow Pakistan's laws and procedures in the case of Chief Justice Chaudry who was suspended on charges of "judicial misconduct." The State Department cautioned that Pakistan should uphold the rule of law, and follow due process in conducting the prosecution of the complaint against Chaudry, keeping it clear and transparent, and free from the taint of internal politics. Here is a reporter's question and State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack's response:

QUESTION: On Pakistan. Do you have any comment on the arrest of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? There is – (inaudible) of President Musharraf say that his move is unconstitutional and it's created a rather difficult situation to his opposition.
MR. MCCORMACK: Right. Now, understood we have -- it's a situation actually that we have been monitoring very closely for some time and I think this occurred several days ago and we are watching it closely. It is a matter of deep concern. And we believe that the resolution of this matter should take place in a way that is completely transparent and strictly in accordance with Pakistan's laws. It's essential for any developing democracy to adhere to the rule of law and conduct any investigations, any proceedings that may follow on from those investigations in a clear, aboveboard, transparent manner that strictly accords with Pakistan's laws.

The amazing part of this whole response is that the State Department is here sanctimoniously urging the rule of law on Pakistan and Musharraf at the same time that the White House and Department of Justice have been conducting a secret, concealed and political campaign to fire eight U.S. attorneys for what looks like totally political skulduggery.

This is why much of the world hates the United States. Not because foreigners hate "our democracy," as Bush likes to say, but because they resent the U.S. and its president telling them what they should do, while at the same time the U.S. shows itself a hypocrite in flaunting its own principles.