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Alpha Stage
Pakistan's Musharraf
May 22, 2007




The New York Times is running an article entitled, "Supporters Urge
Pakistan Leader to Shift Course."

The article states, "Members of (Pakistan's) ruling party, the Pakistani
Muslim League, who provide General Musharraf's base of support in
Parliament, say that nationwide protests since the suspension of the
country's chief justice in March, and violent clashes that left 42 people
dead in Karachi on May 12, have cast a pall over his leadership."

The article adds, "Opposition members and some from the ruling party
warn that not only is General Musharraf's future at stake, but also the
stability of the country, which sits on the front line of American
efforts to combat Taliban insurgents and Al Qaeda."

Read the Article!!


Discussion-Starters for Younger Children

  • What do your students think that it means to be strong? What
    do your students think it means to be smart? Who do your
    students think is the strongest person that they know? Who do
    they think is the smartest person that they know?
  • Consider asking students to draw pictures of somebody
    who is strong and somebody who is smart.

  • Do your students think that every person who is strong is also
    smart? Why/why not? Do they think it is more important for a
    person to be strong or smart? Encourage them to explain their
    thoughts.
  • These questions provide an opportunity to celebrate
    differences. In addition to asking about simple strength,
    consider also asking about athletic ability.

  • Why do your students think that some people will beat others
    up if they disagree on something? Why is it bad to hurt
    somebody?
  • Consider asking students to develop skits describing
    what somebody might be thinking about when they hurt
    somebody else.

  • Have your students ever been put into "time out"? Ask them
    why they were put into "time out". What did it take to get out
    of "time out"? Do your students think that adults are ever put
    into "time out"? Why/why not?
  • Consider engaging students in a discussion of rules for
    getting out of time out. Whereas the year is almost over,
    you might ask students to reflect on the rules the class
    has used to get out of time out.


Discussion-Starters for Older Students

  • Vocabulary terms to discuss: "Base of Support"; Conciliation;
    Domestic; and, Autocratic.

  • Do your students think that Americans should care what
    happens in Pakistan? Why/why not?
  • Consider holding a debate in your class over this issue.
    How do these questions relate to the immigration
    legislation currently being debated in Congress?

  • Should the head of an army be allowed to also be the head of a
    government? Why/why not? Does the answer to these
    questions depend on a country's stability? Why/why not?
  • These questions might prompt an interesting class
    discussion.

  • What lessons can be learned from the current situation in
    Pakistan that can be applied to the American government?
    Explain!! (Note: This question does not ask what can be
    learned from the American government to apply in Pakistan.
    But, this is another possible question.)
  • Consider asking students to develop lesson plans, in
    groups of three or four, in which they indicate what the
    U.S. government can learn from the situation in
    Pakistan. Consider creating a "mock government
    development committee". When students present their
    lessons they could present to a mock group of
    government officials, the other students.
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