President Musharraf wins re-election

Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraff won a second term today, crushing his closest rivals in the preliminary poll results. Why does this matter? Well, General Musharraf is probably the biggest supporter of the War on Terrorism in a region under siege from Islamic militants. Over the past year, he has tried to reign in Al-Qaeda militants hiding out in Pakistan's remote mountains, while nearly losing his life in the process. In 2003, a bomb exploded underneath a bridge his convoy had crossed over moments earlier, and eleven days later, two suicide car bombers tried again to assasinate him, but instead hit a crowd of civilians. While President Bush has repeatedly praised Musharraf for his steadfast support for the War on Terrorism, others here in the U.S. have been less grateful. Just recently, Senator Barack Obama called for military action inside Pakistan because the Pakistani government "wasn't doing enough" to fight terrorism. Nothing could be further from the truth. Over the last six years, Pakistan has caputured hundreds of top Al-Qaeda leaders, many of whom are now in the custody of the United States. Thousands of Pakistani soldiers have laid down their lives fighting Al-Qaeda terrorists in their own country, something many in the U.S. don't understand. In addition, terrorists routinely carry out attacks in Pakistani cities, against both military and civilian targets. It's estimated that some 350 people have been killed in bombings across Pakistan this year alone. Still, we have people like Obama who want more, calling for more sacrifice, labeling Musharraf a dictator, and showing extreme ignorance. Since 9/11, the United States has remained secure. Americans can go about their lives in peace even while our soldiers are dying overseas. We can go shopping without having to worry about a bomb exploding, like so many innocent people in Pakistan have had to cope with. We don't have to fight our own people in our own country, like Pakistan's soldiers are doing everyday. It's time we show some appreciation and stand behind Pakistan, like they have done for us. Hopefully, Musharraf can serve his new term without having to deal with threats and calls for invasion from misguided Presidential hopefuls and he can help us attain victory in a war that needs to be won.