Pakistan: prospects and perils

Anatol Lieven, 21 November 2007

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What's in store for Pakistan? Anatol Lieven forecasts. Listen now

About the author

Anatol Lieven is professor in the department of war studies at Kings College, London. He is also a senior research fellow of the New America Foundation and a member of the editorial board of The National Interest. His latest book is Pakistan: A Hard Country (Penguin, 2011) Anatol Lieven's previous books include The Baltic Revolution: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Path to Independence (Yale University Press, 1993); Chechnya: Tombstone of Russian Power (Yale University Press, 1998); America Right or Wrong: An Anatomy of American Nationalism (Oxford University Press, 2004); and (with John Hulsman) is Ethical Realism: A Vision for America's Role in the World (Pantheon, 2006)

Last week, the first of a series of terrorism.openDemocracy-sponsored seminars focused on the timely subject of Pakistan. Anatol Lieven delivered opening remarks, outlining a few of the scenarios facing the country as it endures emergency rule under General Pervez Musharraf. In this excerpt, Lieven argues that while there is little chance of an Iran-style Islamic revolution in the country, a truly democratic Pakistan remains a very remote possibility.

For a provocative, detailed discussion of the internal dynamics of Pakistani politics, click on the play button above.

Read all the latest analysis of the crisis in Pakistan on openDemocracy, with articles by Shaun Gregory, Irfan Hussain, and Ayesha Siddiqua.

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