NYT/Reuters: Musharraf Uses Book Deal to Dodge "Bomb" Spat

[DeepModem Mom]

Musharraf Uses Book Deal to Dodge "Bomb" Spat
By REUTERS
Published: September 22, 2006

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pakistan's leader cited a book deal during an appearance with President George W. Bush on Friday to avoid talking about a purported U.S. threat to bomb his country back to the Stone Age after the September 11 attacks.

With his memoir due out on Monday, President Pervez Musharraf managed to plug his book while smoothing diplomatic waters after talks with Bush on their partnership in the war on terrorism and efforts to combat a Taliban resurgence.

Musharraf, in an interview with CBS News magazine show "60 Minutes'' to air on Sunday, charged that after the September 11 attacks, the United States threatened to strike Pakistan if it did not cooperate in America's campaign against the Taliban.

Musharraf said Richard Armitage, then deputy secretary of state, told Pakistan's intelligence director, "'Be prepared to be bombed. Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age.'''

***

Musharraf, who told CBS the Stone Age warning was a "very rude remark, dodged a reporter's question on the issue, citing a contract with his publisher for his memoir, "In the Line of Fire.''

"I would like to -- I am launching my book on the 25th, and I am honor-bound to Simon & Schuster not to comment on the book before that day,'' he said....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-bush-pakistan.html

[Kagemusha]

1. Wow, book deals trump diplomatic immunity & national sovereignty.

Who knew?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. It was a nice dodge...

props to whomever worked that out.

[zonkers]

3. Armitage just keeps hitting them out the park, doesn't he?

[bhikkhu]

4. And if you heard his NPR interview today (0922 4pm or so)

unconvincingly denying that there was anything but handshakes, pats on the back, and empathetic eye contact at his meeting with Musharraf

[Dover]

5. They operate like the mafia. Not surprising. I'm sure they've got

black lists, and hit lists and incentive programs that include breaking some arms. They have intelligence on everyone it seems, and the Pentagon backs them up.

[radfringe]

6. this "press conference" was really

a pre-release promo for his book...

If I remember correctly - bush ended the promo by telling reporters to "buy the book" -- lovely, now bush is the book-promoter

wonder if this book will be on his "reading list"