Yes, that is really the headline of this AP story , as silly as it is. What did Bush and Musharraf do to affect this recommitment? Cut their index fingers and hold them together? Seriously, why was such a “recommitment” necessary, unless one party has been somewhat lacking in its commitment? But no one in Washington seems to care about why that might be so.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — President Bush and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf recommitted their nations Saturday to the difficult task of hunting down terrorists still hiding here and across the globe.
Bush came to Pakistan – despite terrorist dangers that demanded extraordinary security – to bolster Musharraf, who straddles a delicate political divide in this impoverished but growing Islamic nation.
The U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are unpopular here, and Pakistan’s strong anti-American sentiment was reflected in the thousands who demonstrated across the country against Bush’s visit. While there are suspicions that al-Qaida and Taliban operatives maintain some degree of safe sanctuary inside Pakistan, Musharraf has defied criticism he is too cozy with Washington to be a strong U.S. partner in the anti-terrorism campaign.
Bush said his visit convinced him that Musharraf is as committed as ever.
“We will win this fight together,” Bush said after more than an hour of private talks with Musharraf. “While we do have a lot of work to be done, it’s important that we stay on the hunt.”
The United States also sees Musharraf as a leader who favors a more open, moderate and tolerant Pakistan. Standing alongside the Pakistani leader whom Bush calls his “buddy,” the U.S. president stopped short of criticizing Musharraf on the pace of democratic advances, only gently calling for elections scheduled for next year to be “open and honest.”