Bhutto: The military did it! The answers are in this book!!!!!!!

[Joanne98]

The Military has been quietly expanding it's assets. If Butto was elected, she was going to help the US sell them off. That's what she was doing over here. Making a deal! The Washington Consenus is going to keep breaking up countries and selling them until there is none left and everybody knows it. The Military is protecting it's assets. In my humble opinion.

Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan's Military Economy

http://www.amazon.com/Military-Inc-Inside-Pakistans-Economy/dp/0745325459
Writing about the military in Pakistan can be risky business and the author of this book has shown tremendous courage in publishing this important work. However, the merit of this book is not because it is daring but rather because of the intellectual rigor and empirical detail provided. Unlike anti-establishment provocateurs who can often claim courage of conviction but not much else, Dr. Siddiqa has provided us with a well-substantiated account of financial hegemony in the military that deserves applause. While recognizing the vital importance of the military itself, the book unravels how essential security can be easily manipulated to accumulate wealth for a powerful elite.

The author starts with a structural premise that defines the phenomenon of "milbus" as "military capital used for the personal benefit of the military fraternity, especially the officer cadre, which is not recorded as part of the defence budget." She then goes on to situate this concept within the larger literature on the military industrial complex. Her lucid prose is also augmented by clear, tables, organizational charts, graphs and Venn diagrams. Her findings are staggering: for example, the amount of land owned by military officers through subsidized schemes amounts to $4.6 billion. The military pensions being offered are five times the amount for civilian officers. The role of the Fauji Foundation and other military organizations in running commercial enterprises that range from cereal manufacturing to running schools is astounding.

The usual argument given by proponents of milbus is that the military is the most disciplined organization and can do everything more efficiently. Yet, this logic is defied by most of the world's leading economic powers where development has occurred through private enterprise by educated and responsible citizens. Perhaps the author could have spent more time in evaluating these arguments. Nevertheless, given the range and scope of the matter at hand, Dr. Siddiqa has done a marvelous job with this manuscript. One can only hope the military will not feel threatened by this constructive criticism and use the the book as a means for initiating reform.

[ORDagnabbit]

1. of course the military industrial complex did it....

[Octafish]

2. America played Pakistan off India for decades.

I remember hearing Kissinger describe his, er, Nixon's divide-and-conquer-'em-both strategy:

America, Killer K said, wanted "balance" in the region, so it backed the relatively weaker Pakistan over India.

They did somethiing similar by opening relations with Beijing, to drive a wedge between China and the Soviets.

[Joanne98]

3. That too, but isn't it interesting Bhutto leaves a note from the grave

and nobody listens. it tells you more about the US and the MSM than anything.

[Elspeth]

8. Blowback's a bitch

ain't it.

[H2O Man]

4. Very interesting.

One of the best things about DU is finding out about "must read" books. One of the building blocks of democracy is a free press, and it is too easy to take this for granted. There are, sadly, countries where a person can face deadly consequences for expressing thoughts on paper. And when a minority of families controls a majority of resources, especially the military, then those rights are always at risk. Always.

Thank you for this post.

Nominated.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

5. back space back space erase delete delete delete ARGH

forgive

EEK

misread

delete delete

*BLUSH*

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

6. I have trouble believing the basic premise of that assertion under neocon conditions.

I'll study this particular conspiracy theory with a keen eye on the "domination" obsession of the PNAC pact.

[Jennifer C]

7. I have this book

It's very detailed.

Dr. Siddiqa was on BookTV a few weeks ago too.