Military supports policies of our democratic govt: Zardari

Dismissing reports of a rift between the Pakistani government and the military, President Asif Ali Zardari, today said his administration has the support of the defence forces in the ongoing war against terrorism.

”...some Western reports suggest the Pakistani military does not support the policies of our democratic government. This is not true.

“Not only is our military courageously battling extremists in Swat and Waziristan, and succeeding, but our troops also are supporting the country’s democratic transition and adherence to our Constitution,” Mr. Zardari wrote in an opinion piece in The Washington Post.

“Terrorists do not want Pakistan to succeed,” he said and added that militants want to distract the country from preparing for a stable and prosperous future.

“Some in Pakistan question our international alliances because they disapprove of our allies’ actions, such as Thursday’s unilateral US drone attack against militants in Waziristan. We should all understand that concern.

But we are fighting for our lives, and Pakistan’s policies cannot be based solely on what is popular,” he wrote.

When Franklin Roosevelt threw a lifeline to Britain with the Lend—Lease programme, few Americans supported challenging the Nazis. Harry Truman had less than 15 per cent support among Americans to rebuild Europe. They did what was right, not what was popular, and so will we, Mr. Zardari said.