The 11-Year-Old Wife

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The 11-Year-Old Wife
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By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: June 21, 2005
When Pakistan's prime minister visits next month, President Bush will presumably use the occasion to repeat his praise for President Pervez Musharraf as a bold leader "dedicated in the protection of his own people." Then they will sit down and discuss Mr. Bush's plan to sell Pakistan F-16 fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

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But here's a suggestion: How about the White House dropping word that before the prime minister arrives, he first return the passport of Mukhtaran Bibi, the rape victim turned human-rights campaigner, so that she can visit the United States?

Despite Mr. Bush's praise, General Musharraf shows more commitment to his F-16's than to his people. Now he's paying the price. Visiting New Zealand the last few days, he was battered by questions about why he persecuted a rape victim, forcing him to cancel interviews.

Pakistani newspapers savaged him for harming Pakistan's image. And the blogosphere has taken up Ms. Mukhtaran's case, with more than 100 blogs stirring netizens to send blizzards of e-mails to Pakistani consulates or to join protests planned for Wednesday and Thursday at Pakistani offices in New York and Washington.



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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/21/opinion/21kristof.html?hp

I'm writing to tell him as much, too.

like he claims he would be saying that pakistan and other countries where abuse of women and girls are permitted have to change or no aid $. Not to mention more would be done over here. It was only recently that Texas raised the marriage age to 16 from 14.