Ari Fleischer & Pakistan

[Bradford DeLong]

>In a briefing last week, the White House Press Secretary, Ari Fleischer,
>argued with the press corps that Pakistan signed an extradition treaty with
>the US in 1931, even though Pakistan was not an independent state until
>1947.  What is most bizarre is that Fleischer seems to think that there were
>"Pakistani authorities" running around in 1931.  In fact, Chaudhuri Rahmat
>Ali, a Cambridge graduate student, did not even propose the idea of creating
>a state called "Pakstan" until 1933.  The Lahore Resolution calling for a
>separate Muslim homeland was not passed until 1940.  If nothing else, this
>"gaffe" reveals the complete ignorance of the White House staff about an
>area of the world in which they are now mired.
>
>The text of the press briefing is enclosed below.
>
>Vikash Yadav
>Philadelphia, PA

Yes: Ari Fleischer is an idiot. Andrew Card is an idiot for allowing 
him to remain in the job. George W. Bush is an idiot for choosing 
him. Fortunately for everybody, the National Security Council's 
Middle East and South Asia staff are not idiots.

Unfortunately for everybody, the Paul Wolfowitzes and Richard Perles 
running around are not idiots either...

-- 
J. Bradford DeLong
Department of Economics, U.C. Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720
http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/
delong at econ.berkeley.edu

"I do not understand how universal bankruptcy can do any good or bring
us nearer to prosperity."

					--John Maynard Keynes