WASHINGTON, Sept 27: The United States is committed to democracy but also views President Pervez Musharraf as a key ally in the war against terror, says former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Ms Bhutto was asked at a news conference on Wednesday what impression she got on the US commitment to democracy after a series of meetings she had in Washington this week with US lawmakers and officials.

While commenting on her statement, State Department’s deputy spokesman Tom Casey also emphasised that the United States continued to see President Musharraf as an important player in any future set up in Pakistan.

“We do support the people of Pakistan and we do support the desire of Pakistanis for what is President Musharraf’s and others stated objectives, which is to see Pakistan develop as a peaceful democratic, moderate Islamic state,” he said. Such a state, obviously, should be “capable of working with us to fight extremism and terrorism,” he added.

This explains why at her lecture at a Senate building in Washington and later at a news conference, Ms Bhutto tried to separate Gen. Musharraf from his government, saying that while the president wants to make a working arrange-

ment with her, some in his government were trying to sabotage it.

“We engaged with Gen. Musharraf because we believe that the forces of moderation should come together,” she said. “May be both sides have the best intention to reach a solution … but whether they will or not, we will know in the next few days.”

During her talks in Washington, she also made it obvious that she believes the US support is essential for a successful and safe return to Pakistan. And apparently her statement that she will give UN nuclear inspectors access to Dr A. Q. Khan also reflects her desire to offer herself to the Americans as a better alternative, even at the risk of annoying the generals she is trying to win over.

At her news conference, Ms Bhutto also appealed to the generals to realise that the military’s continued presence in politics was harming the institution they serve.

“There have been attacks

on a military mess near Islamabad, on an ISI bus and also at soldiers in the tribal areas where an officer was beheaded,” she said.

“This was unthinkable in 1965, when we all loved the army,” Ms Bhutto said while urging the generals to “return to their barracks and let politics to the politicians.”

But congressional sources told Dawn that the US lawmakers and officials she met told her that while they want democracy in Pakistan, they also need the generals on their side to fight the terrorists. “We realize that no civilian leaders in Pakistan will be able to keep the troops in the tribal belt if the soldiers are killed every day,” one congressional source said.

Ms Bhutto tried to answer this concern in her news conference when she said that a military solution alone cannot defeat the Taliban and al-Qaeda sympathisers in the tribal belt and that she has a plan — a combination of military and political initiatives — that could restore peace there in 12 to 18 months.

She also was very harsh on those religious elements in Pakistan who supported groups like the Taliban or ran radical madrassas.

“They misrepresent our religion and are hurting our country,” she said. “I do not know whose agenda they are following. It is not certainly an agenda for the Muslims or the people of Pakistan.”

On this point, she also warned the Americans that they were making “a strategic mistake” if they believed that the army alone can defeat extremism.