While Barack Obama was visiting Afghanistan Pervez Musharraf was the president of Pakistan, who was the top supporter of USA in war against terror. Presently hundreds of US military personnel are deployed in Afghanistan to support Karzi government in fighting out Taliban and others who are identified as terrorist organizations.
War against terror is one of the important policies of US administration that has a very significant influence on the mind of American voters. In line of this judgment Barack Obama was force to, in a sense, visited Afghanistan. Though Pakistan and Pervez Musharraf was the very good friend of US and Afghanistan, relationship between the two countries were going cool over Taliban issue. Afghan president was accusing Pakistan that the country supporting Taliban outfits.
When Pervez Musharraf came in to the state power of Pakistan, he was chief of Army. The very top ranking Army commander came on the power stage through a coup without blood shedding and humiliates politicians. In his 9-years tenure, only 9 month he rules the country with out uniform. Though he was an autocrat Mr. Musharraf was the most important person to the US administration, which is contradictory to the US out look of democracy and human rights. After almost a decade, with the price of life of Benozir Bhutto, Pakistan experiencing an elected political government, which is not a military administration wearing the suit of civilians.
This government is constituted by a coalition where many differences are prevailing on the issues like Taliban, judiciary, bilateral & regional relationship and afghan policy. When Pervez Musharraf was in power, most of the issues were considered through the out look of military judgment. Present Pakistan government, as a political one, representing all walks of people of the country. For any decision, the government should consider the interests of people, especially the interests of business community, land lords, civil administration members and the middle class of the country. It that consideration, Pakistan is in a juncture to reconstruct afghan policy, where USA is the main stake holder.
War against terror is of course an important issue for the presidential candidates of America. By visiting Afghanistan Obama was able to pull the peoples attention in favor of him, now Pakistan, the major partner of war against terror in Afghanistan is running through a changing political environment, Obama should make clear his afghan policy to US voters otherwise he might face a hardship in the race. #