US-Pakistani Alliance??

The last day or two I have heard on the news about President Bush going to Pakistan to meet with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. So this evening, I read on Foxnews.com an article about the President's trip in which Bush Expresses Solidarity with Pakistan, Musharraf.

This article talks about the alliance with Pakistan, and the efforts of Pakistan in the War on Terror. I have reason to question any such alliance with the Pakistanis, and, especially the sincerity of the Pakistani president, Pervez Musharraf. Why should our country trust a man who was not legitimately elected to office in a contested election? He claimed power, in 1999, in a bloodless coup, and in the aftermath of that coup stated that an election would be contested. More than six years later, no election has taken place. In fact, Musharraf recently changed his country's constitution to allow him to remain president AND to keep his uniform until 2007. This is a country, prior to September 11, that we had withdrawn our ambassador, and all foreign aid because of nuclear activity and indirectly, because of the lack of democratic elections in Pakistan. All of a sudden, after September 11th, the Pakistanis allow us access to their territory to launch an offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and all of a sudden they're a valued ally? Something about this doesn't sound right. I find it awfully convenient. They also have vowed to help us round up Al Queda operatives and to assist us with our search for Osama Bin Laden.

Almost 5 years later, still no Bin Laden, but we keep on hearing the same tune from the Pakistanis.... "We'll eventually, with US help, will find Bin Laden and bring him to justice." Please... If Bin Laden is hiding in the mountainous border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, as he is rumored to, it will be difficult to find him. I truly believe that most of the Pakistani public does know the location of the US' number one wanted terrorist. The Pakistani public has no interest in helping Musharraf, nor us, find Bin Laden, as they agree with what he is fighting for, they don't like us as much as Bin Laden does. With that being said, I believe that as long as we continue to rely on the Pakistani military to help US operatives find Bin Laden, we will never find him, as the Pakistani military is most likely helping him hide.

This alliance is more of a marriage of convenience for the Pakistanis. It allows them to receive foreign aid to enable their government to better provide for its citizens, while doing very little in return. We will not find Bin Laden, and, quite frankly, I believe we are wasting our time enlisting their help.