Zardari is no stranger to the corridors of power in America. Yet, while the few who see prospects of profiting from the enormous flow of American taxpayers’ money that is envisaged in the wake of President Zardari’s recent US visit — US “contractors” (mercenaries), America’s Pakistan “experts” (in the US and in Pakistan), and local go-betweens — on the street in Pakistan, there is outrage at the images that were broadcast on local television and their accounts in the news media.

While neither his detractors nor his supporters hold Zardari in high esteem, there was widespread anger at what was seen as the insult of the office of the President of Pakistan that Zardari holds. Among the images that caused most distress were:

• US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, chairing a meeting of two presidents of ostensibly “sovereign” countries.
• US President Obama walking away from the podium, ahead of his “guests” Zardari and Karazai, as if they were junior US government employees.

Hillary Clinton

Although only the more educated are aware of the niceties of diplomatic protocol, even the most illiterate Pakistani has a well developed sense of civilised behaviour, especially in relation to how hosts are supposed to treat their guests. This image then offended both those who saw the reception of the president not by Obama, but by the US Secretary of State, as a calculated insult, compounded by her chairing a meeting with the two, as if they were junior State Department officials; and those, who felt that the Americans had insulted their president.

As the State Department site reveals, in May 2009, apart from the two presidents, whom she received in the Ben Franklin Room, Clinton met with only one other president, Shimon Perez of Israel, on whom she called at his suite at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. Apart from the two presidents, Clinton received only foreign ministers (of UK, Finalnd, France, Romania, Italy, Rusia, Slovakia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Sweden, all received in the Treaty Room, not the Franklin Room) at the State Department. The two pictures say it all.

Those who looked closer raised their eyebrows at Clinton’s opening remarks in which, following formalities of welcome, she introduced members of her team:

Now, presidents, we have with us a number of members of President Obama’s cabinet and high-ranking officials in departments in the United States Government. We will be hearing from them during the course of the morning. But let me introduce Ambassador Patterson, whom you know, the Ambassador to Pakistan; Director Mueller, the leader of the FBI; of course, you’ve met Director Panetta of the CIA and Special Representative Holbrooke.

… FBI Director, CIA Director, in the first, open, meeting with the two presidents! Whatever happened to the concept of “cover”?!

Barrack Obama

The picture above, flashed across the world, shows the two presidents standing a few paces behind (as appropriate to someone of lesser rank), with their hands folded in front of them, as is appropriate to servants in the presence of masters in this part of the world.

Obama Walks Ahead of his "Guests"

To add insult to injury, as Obama turned around and stepped away from the podium at the end of his remarks to the press, Zardari motioned for him to precede him, an entirely appropriate gensture from a guest but one that the host is expected unfailingly to decline. Yet, without a split second of hesitation, Obama stepped ahead and walked away signaling clearly, even to an illiterate audience in Pakistan, that Obama considered them more akin to his servants, and clearly not as his guests. The impression was strengthened by news that Zardari wasn’t even invited to a meal with the president, again an essential mark of hospitality.

To most Pakistanis, who do not expect to see much of the billions of dollars that will be divided between US contractors and Pakistani facilitators of American projects (in the widest sense of the word), no amount of money is worth the insult.

The entire affair was treated with a scathing review in two popular television programmes: Mere Mutabiq, on Geo TV; and Live With Talat, on Aaj TV [Urdu Video].

Zardari’s Final Remarks at the State Department

There is then the concluding “democracy, democracy” statement by President Zardari that to our abiding chagrin drew chuckles around the world (see, for example, an earlier post; the following is from the official State Department transcript):

PRESIDENT ZARDARI: (Started off with traditional blessing/greeting in Arabic.) Begin entire remarks in English: Madame Secretary, thank you for having us. My dear brother President Karzai, thanking for being here and giving – Madame, thank you for giving us this opportunity. Let me begin by thanking President Obama for his vision and, of course, my friend, my wife’s friend and my friend, and the hope for the beacon of the world, Secretary Clinton, for her leadership in arranging this historic meeting of our three democracies.

And today, we sit here as three democratic states and joined together in the history of democracy looking forward to working together. Pakistan faces many challenges. Our democracy is trying to overcome these challenges. We need the nurturing of democracy of the world. The oldest most powerful democracy of the world, the extended democracies of the world, we need – my democracy needs attention and needs nurturing.

We thank the United States for its support for democracy, for security in Pakistan and look forward to further support. Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States are all victims of terror, as is indeed the entire world. Our threat is common and our responsibilities should be shared. I am here to assure you that we shall share this burden with you all. For no matter how long it takes and what it takes, democracies will deliver. My democracy will deliver. People of Pakistan stand with the people of the United States and the people of Afghanistan. We stand with our brother Karzai and the people of Afghanistan against this common threat, this menace, which I have called cancer. This is a cancer. It needs to be done away with. Pakistan carries a huge burden confronting al-Qaida and Taliban together. But we are up to the challenge because we are the democracy, and democracy is the only cure to this challenge.

Just as the United States is making progress after seven years of engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan, we will – we too will make progress over time. Democracies in – democracy in Pakistan is only seven months old. And during this period, we have performed better than the dictatorships in the previous many years. I look forward to our discussions, especially our meetings with President Obama, with whom the whole world attaches a lot of hope and especially our coming generations in Pakistan.

I think the U.S. – I thank the U.S. Congress for supporting the emergency economic and security assistance for Pakistan. I am here to assure Americans, partners that while we will need high level of support in the days to come, we will also be far more transparent in our actions. Democracy will avenge the death of my wife and the thousands of other Pakistanis and citizens of the world. Pakistani democracy will deliver. The terrorists will be defeated by our joint struggle. And here, me, my friend President Karzai, and the United States assure the world that we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the world to fight this cancer and this threat.

Thank you, gentlemen.