US welcomes Zardari win in Pakistan

[Phx_Dem]

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, has welcomed the election of Asif Ali Zardari as Pakistan's president and praised what she said is his emphasis on fighting "terrorism".

Rice told reporters travelling with her in north Africa on Saturday that she was looking forward to working with Zardari.

She said she had spoken to him on the telephone but had not met him yet.

"Now with a new president, I think we have got a good way forward," Rice said.

"I was impressed by some of the things that he said about the challenges that Pakistan faces, about the centrality of fighting terrorism, and about the fact that the terrorism fight is Pakistan's fight and also his very strong words of friendship and alliance with the United States."

Zardari is co-chairman of the Pakistan People's Party, formerly led by his wife, Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in December 2007.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2008/09/20089761849531631.html

This is a very positive development for Paskistan.

[LeftishBrit]

1. Sounds like encouraging news.

Not that Zardari is perfect (if only Bhutto had lived! - she seemed much more qualified); but at least he's not a far-right fundie extremist.

Probably much better news for Pakistanis, especially women, than what they'd had before!

[Phx_Dem]

2. democracy is a good first step

the sunni insurgents are going to try to derail this any way they can though.