Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf a True Profile in Courage

I don't know how many of you are following (or have followed over the years) the activities of President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan (left). He is clearly a man of both vision and courage ... or is there something I am missing, bloggers worldwide?

His latest are the proposals he has put forth to solve (finally) the "Kashmir problem" that has been a part of my worldview since I was about a teenager -- and that goes back some, let me tell you! In particular, his "offer" (if it is honest, and I think it is) to India to allow Kashmir to demilitarize in a manner that will make it no threat to Pakistan and in return ... (and this is the surprise) he will no longer demand that Kashmir move towards becoming an independent Muslim state... something that neither the Kashmiri people nor India want.

The old picture (in my mind anyway) of Musharraf playing with pistols while dangling a cigarette from his mouth is disappearing. His willingness to find a means to support the Worldwide War on Terror without allowing a civil war to break out in the Paki provinces near the Afghanistan border ... and now this! Good grief! I remember when the UN mandate on Kashmir was originally voted on (around 1948 or so) and the periodic sectarian conflicts (we called them "wars" back then) were a part of what I thought was permanent world politik. Kind of like the Cold war ... it was to be forevermore.

But despite the several attempts on his life from the fundamentalist Muslims -- mainly because of his support for the US in its attacks on al-Qaida, he is now opening up whole new avenues for Pakistan to be a leader in Middle Eastern and Asian politics.

If JFK were writing Profiles in Courage today, Pervez Musharraf would be right up in Chapter One, IMHO.

Mr. Bush ... take a lead from the words and proposals of Mr. Musharraf. Solutions are not found in bullets and bombs ... or body counts of Iraqi civilians or Americans coming home in flag-draped coffins. Sir down take a deep breath and listen to the sweet winds of peace trying to whistle through the edges around the White House windows.

And yes, may the Good Lord help in bringing about a permanent peace between Pakistan and India vis-a-vis Kashmir. Who would have guessed?