Sunday December 11 A conversation about Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

We are in the Bangkok airport on our way to Myanmar. I have heard there isn’t free access to the internet in Myanmar and am not sure if I’ll be able to continue writing this blog very often until after my return Dec 23, but still one never knows the unlikely places one can find an internet café.
I had a very interesting conversation with a Pakistani who had been in Musharraf’s cabinet, who was sitting next to me on the flight to Bangkok. When I asked about how things were in his country, he said the Pakistani people were so unfortunate to be deprived of democracy and in a military dictatorship, and that that government was supported by the US.
He is a strong believer that democracy is the best system because the leaders are ultimately responsible to the people, and said he thought that the US support of dictatorships in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in what our leaders short-sightedly think is our best interest, is indeed the contrary. He spoke at some length about angry young men of Saudi Arabia, being responsible for September 11 and that their anger was based on our keeping their corrupt monarchy in power. I wonder if there is any way to get this message to Americans who believe we are spreading democracy.