On Aug. 21, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf led an alteration of his country's constitution, which included the addition of 29 amendments. Much like the supposedly democratic Pakistani election held earlier in the year, which employed intimidation to alter the results in the president's favor, these amendments fundamentally corrupt whatever is left of Pakistani democracy for the benefit of one man.

Musharraf, who by his actions has already made himself absolute, now also has made his rule indefinite. Among the amendments is one that guarantees Musharraf the presidency for an additional five years and another that allows him to appoint a national security council to oversee the election of the next president, which presumably he will win.

President Bush, with few criticisms, has consistently supported Musharraf since the events of September 11th. The Bush Administration sees Musharraf as an important ally in the war against terrorism and therefore ignores all the issues of concern that have arisen.

President Bush has recently called for the removal of another corrupt dictator, Yasser Arafat, who is responsible for either propagating or forgiving terrorism within his territory. Musharraf, like Arafat, has claimed to be uprooting terrorism in his own country, and like Arafat, in reality has done precious little. India, the world's largest democracy and a true ally in ideology to the United States, is the victim of the cross-border terror that Musharraf is responsible for and President Bush indirectly allows to occur.

Before September 11th, the Bush administration did not look so highly on Pervez Musharraf. The administration did little to halt the spiraling downfall of the relationship between the United States and Pakistan. Bush had looked to India as an ally and a market with great potential, but after September 11th, Bush changed his tune.

The United States betrays its long-term interests by supporting leaders like Musharraf. The president of Pakistan is a useful tool in the War on Terror, but the battle on Musharraf's borders will eventually end; the suffering of the Pakistani people will not. Hatred of the United States, the bastard child of ill-devised American intervention in the far reaches of the globe, will only grow as long as this country supports those who do not share our democratic philosophy.

No impoverished or otherwise threatened person in this world will ever look highly upon a country that preaches freedom and fights for liberty on the shoulders of despotism and tyranny.