I think that not only is it necessary to have read something of what Salman Rushdie has written in order to express a cogent argument on the subject Carol.

I disagree.


It would also help if you read something about the history of Pakistan if you're going to include that in your argument.
How did Musharraf come to power? What happened to Benazhir Bhutto. What happened to her father. Which Pakistani scientist and national hero gave the secrets of nuclear bomb manufacture to Iran and several other unstable powers,thus escalating the tension and threat of nuclear war in the region?

So you would prefer that the Islamist extremists in Pakistan prevail in that country and become the new government there?. Interesting stance for someone who claims to not approve of Islamist extremists. Musharraf is the puppet who is being propped up by the US government in that country. He's their man. They want him there. The reason they want him there is because he is willing to do their bidding. I don't particularly approve of him myself, but on the other hand, I don't think having the Islamist extremists in power in Pakistan is necessarily the best thing that could happen either.