Futile Political Maneuver of the Day
Members of the Commonwealth of Nations yesterday voted to suspend Pakistan's voluntary membership in the organization.
Futile? From Wikipedia:
In recent decades there has been a mutual decline of interest in maintaining active intra-Commonwealth relations, and the organisation's direct political and economic importance has declined. Realist critics have argued that in the 21st century the organisation is an inherently arbitrary alliance with members that are united only through a historical accident of British colonialism. They argue that the organisation lacks a balanced membership, and point out that it is very unusual for any international organisation to exclude highly important regions of the world such as most of Western Europe and South America from membership. Indeed, many Commonwealth members look increasingly to regional partners, non-Commonwealth as well as Commonwealth, to form their most important alliances.
Futile it would seem. Unless you're an athlete. The Commonwealth Games are the second biggest international sporting event after the Olympics, so maybe the strategy is that once Musharraf sees all those angry Pakistani weightlifters, he'll come around.
Labels: Commonwealth of Nations, Musharraf, Pakistan
12:54 PM
