Religion and Political Power

Through the examination of the notoriously corrupt regimes in Pakistan, one cannot help but notice the similarities to American and other Western regimes. While Bhutto and Zia’s manipulative use of Islam furthered their grip on political power in Pakistan, Western Power’s dual manipulation of religion has been implemented to assert control over much of the world, especially those nations considered 3rd world.

The hard-line political right in America is appeased by the proliferation of Christian ideals while the leftist groups believe that that their nation’s transgression of foreign borders is in the name of human-rights protection. It is, in essence, the perfect way in which to advance covert economic and colonial agendas such as the securing of oil resources and increasing military presence.

Perhaps it is easier for a people to look outside their own borders to find faulty leadership and corruption instead of looking at their own nation. Or, Perhaps the American people are aware of the awful similarities and choose, themselves, to be ignorant of such wrong-doings so as to ensure the status-quo.

1 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 )

,144

2 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ), 144

3 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ), 158

4 Stephen Cohen, The Idea of Pakistan (Washington: Brooking Institution Press, 2004), 169

5 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ), 150

6 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ),169

7 Omar Norman, Pakistan: Political and Economic History Since 1947 ( London: Kegan Paul International, 1988 ),109

8 Hasan-Askari ,Rizvi, “The Paradox of Military Rule in Pakistan.” Asian Survey, Vol.24,No.5,534-555, May 1984 ,545

9 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ),165

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11 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ),168

12 Shahid, Burki, “Pakistan under Zia, 1977-1988” Asian Survey, Vol.28, No.10,1082-110. October 1988, 1091

13 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ), 165

14 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ), 167

15 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ),202

16 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 ), p167

17 Hasan-Askari, Rizvi, “The Paradox of Military Rule in Pakistan.” Asian Survey, Vol.24,No.5,534-555. May 1984

18 Omar Norman, Pakistan: Political and Economic History Since 1947 ( London: Kegan Paul International, 1988 ),145

19 Lawrence Ziring, Pakistan: at the Crosscurrent of History ( Oxford: Oneworld, 2003 )176

20 Omar Norman, Pakistan: Political and Economic History Since 1947 ( London: Kegan Paul International, 1988 ), 147

21 Omar Norman, Pakistan: Political and Economic History Since 1947 ( London: Kegan Paul International, 1988 ), 125

22 CIA World Factbook – United States

23 John C. Green, Corwin E. Smidt, James L. Guth, and Lyman A. Kellstedt, The American Religious Landscape and the 2004 Presidential Vote: Increased Polarization

24 George W. Bush, Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People, – (Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, 2001)

25 JS Landres, M Berenbaum, After the Passion Is Gone: American Religious Consequences, (2004)

26 Douzinas, Costas. 2006. “Humanitarianism and Politics.” http://www.re-public.gr/en/wp-print.php?p=30

27 Slavoj Zizek, Against Human Rights, (2005) p. 126

28 Douzinas, Costas. 2006. “Humanitarianism and Politics.” http://www.re-public.gr/en/wp-print.php?p=30