The Times of India today quotes Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf:

There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever, that this country is a moderate country and moderate forces have reasserted themselves and religious forces have gone down.

I’d say he is almost half right. Moderate forces may be resting a bit easier. The proof in the pudding is in the eating. In September, Musharraf initiated talks with Israel for the first time ever. The foreign ministers of Israel and Pakistan met in Turkey. Pakistan initiated contact as thanks for Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. Turkey helped broker the unprecedented meeting.

On September 17, Musharraf spoke before the American Jewish Congress and said:

According to the Holy Quran and our Holy Prophet, Jews and Christians are the ‘People of the Book,’ belonging to the same spiritual tradition. … Our experiences and histories intertwine in many regions of the old world and most significantly in the Holy Land.

According to the BBC :

… in July 2003, President Pervez Musharraf called for a national debate on the possibility of opening diplomatic ties with Israel.

There were a few rumbles in reaction to this news. But Pakistan’s teeming masses of hysterical Islamists reacted rather mildly, relatively speaking, e.g., there weren’t quite as many car-swarms as expected. After Pakistan and Israel announced that their foreign ministers met in Istanbul, the BBC reported that Islamist reaction in Pakistan to the news was “muted.”

Could it be either 1) a grudging acceptance of the Jewish state, one which cannot be destroyed militarily or by terrorism, or 2) that Israeli Prime Minister Sharon’s unilateral disengagement from Gaza has deflated anti-Israeli sentiment?

Musharraf lived in Turkey from the ages of 6 to 13 and, very interestingly, considers Kemal Ataturk his personal hero. I say this is very interesting because Ataturk founded Turkey and insisted that the country be modern and secular.

Pakistan’s president has survived several assassination attempts, yet has stuck to his course. Today he said:

Claiming that his government had broken most of the radical gangs and terrorist outfits, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said his grip on power was strong and moderate forces had reasserted themselves in the country.

That may be a bit optimistic, but let us hope that Musharraf continues to seek the strength of his youthful convictions, when he considered Ataturk as a role model.