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• Huge storm slams into Lodi area

• Lodi veterans plaza foundation to fold; memorial endowment could be created

November 21st, 2009

• Logbook

• Holiday drive spreads cheer to U.S. troops

• Galt High students want board to approve open-campus policy

• Poisoning victims remain hospitalized

• Expert: Half a mushroom cap can be deadly

• Tokay grad files claim over Lodi's Grape Bowl

• Lodi Middle School holds annual Turkey Trot

• Regional Roundup

• No motive or suspect in shooting

• Sacramento cop arrested for alleged kidnapping

November 20th, 2009

• Acampo woman killed

• Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff

• Advocacy groups sue East Bay Municipal Utility District over Pardee expansion

• Regional Roundup

• Galt plans to help residents with energy-efficient projects

• Stable southeast of Lodi approved

• One year after a heart attack, Lodi's Judy Mims thanks rescuers

• National Guard troops return home in time for the holidays

• Real estate market gets on more solid ground

November 19th, 2009

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Chase ends in crash

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

• Sales tax hike yields dividends: 5 new officers join Galt Police

• Lodi Unified School District board votes to cancel summer school for 2010

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22

• Corrections

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react

• Lodi man finds wife's ashes during police display of stolen property

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

November 17th, 2009

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• Lodi Budget and Finance Committee to look into ways to save money on employee benefits

• Regional Roundup

• Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Clarification

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

• City Council 'triple-dog dared' to ditch cars, use Lodi buses

• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi

• Lodi's First Sip event showcases area wineries' latest vintages

• Three members of Lodi-area family fall ill after eating poisonous mushrooms they reportedly found at Lodi Lake

• Regional Roundup

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• Despite an increase in homeless students, school districts look to bolster enrollment, raise revenue

• A first look at 2009 vintages at Lodi's First Sip wine-tasting event

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• The country's mess is our fault (165)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (70)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (48)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Public health care is a Christian option (29)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Government-run health care is a bad idea (17)
• Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (17)
• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (16)

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U.S. should support democracy in Pakistan — not military dictators

Pakistan's 60 years of tumultuous history has shattered the dreams of its founders and expectations of the populous, who wanted a separate homeland, where they could practice their own religion and culture under a democratic system.

The speeches and writings of Mohammad Ali Jinnah (the father of the nation) before and after the creation of Pakistan are very clear and precise. He wanted a modern democratic state where human rights are respected and people of all faiths could live in harmony with each other and with the neighboring countries.

Unfortunately, he died a few months after his dream of a separate nation was realized. Soon after his death, his confidante Liaqat Ali Khan, the first prime minister, was gunned down at the same location where Ms. Benazir Bhutto (BB, as she is called by the people) was murdered on Dec. 27, 2007. Since then, the nation has been yearning for caring, charismatic, benevolent and dedicated leaders. Some had the promise but they turned out to be self-centered, egotistical, corrupt thieves.

The murder of Liaqat Ali Khan after 60 years is still shrouded in mystery. Who contracted out his killing is still unknown. Like the Kennedy assassinations, conspiracy theories abound. The official investigation report has never been published. BB's murder investigation, perhaps, may end up in the same heap of secret files with the thick layers of dust that cover most of the administrative offices of the government of Pakistan.

Pakistan was ruled by a triad of powers until 1979, when the USSR invaded Afghanistan. The politicians, from time to time, took over the government and due to their sheer incompetence and corruption lost the power to military dictators, who consider themselves to be saviors of the country. The equally corrupt bureaucrats latched onto and supported whoever was in power. The judiciary stayed subservient and did not play any role.

Since the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union in 1979, a fourth center of power emerged. These are the religious clergies, who, due to their access to the microphones in Friday sermons, have more connection with people than the politicians, military or the bureaucrats. Their mettle was tested by the Soviet-Afghan war with the military training and financial support from the United States and Saudi Arabia. They started throwing their weight around and the politicians and the military took notice and started appeasing them.

Last year, the Judiciary woke up from a deep sleep and opened up a Pandora's Box by questioning the decisions made by the ruling class. This brought the country to a crisis mode. President Musharraf tried to cling on to power by illegally firing almost all of the judges of the Supreme Court and by declaring emergency and abrogating the constitution.

BB's family, considered feudal lords in the Sindh Province, has a tragic history. BB is the fourth Bhutto to be killed. Her father Zulfiqar, a very charismatic but despotic prime minister, was hanged by a military regime of Zia ul Haq. Her brother, Shahnawaz, was poisoned in a Paris apartment. Another brother, Murtaza, was murdered in Karachi while BB was the prime minister. It is well known in Pakistan that Zardari, BB's widower, has a questionable character.

The Bhutto family has many enemies. They range from the rival feudal lords of Sindh, the leaders of political party MQM, the military regime, and some very influential leaders of the province of Punjab, the Talibans, the clergy and al-Qaida. And perhaps many more.

The Bush administration first put all their trust in the military dictator Pervez Musharraf. Since that did not pan out from the political perspective, they brokered the deal between Musharraf and BB (who were two arch-enemies) and tried to bring semblance of democracy in the country.

The two billion dollars that BB stole from the treasury of Pakistan and all the court cases were forgiven with a stroke of a pen by the military dictator, and BB triumphantly entered the country after eight years of self-exile. She was greeted by a bomb blast where many innocent civilians died.

This definitely was not a match made in heaven. It was a deal of convenience that was transparent to millions in Pakistan and around the world. It was considered a direct U.S. intervention in the internal affairs of the country. This whole approach was doomed to failure, even if BB was not killed.

Now, the brains of the think tanks must be scratching their heads of what to do next. The news reports show that emissaries are arriving from the U.S. and other countries trying to direct Mr. Pervez Musharraf.

The lesson we learned from the present and past events, is that military dictators or individual politicians cannot be relied upon. Pressuring and coercing individuals in power to make deals does not pay in the long run. The only venue open to the U.S. policy makers is to support the democratic processes in Pakistan and not bet on an individual personality.

The Pakistani people are capable of making rational choices. Whoever they choose will work with the U.S. to combat the evil forces that haunt the world today.

Taj Khan of Lodi is a consultant and retired engineering manager for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.