The Prime Minister of Pakistan speaks, and what a story he tells. Basically, Pervez tells the story of his life, the India/Pakistan conflict, and the post 9/11 world we live in. Al Queda hates this guy and has tried to kill him several times, but being a former commando and lifetime military guy, Pervez isn't easy to kill, or intimidate.

One has to say that if there is any country on the planet that remains an enigma; it is Pakistan. Not really an Arab nation, but unique in its history and people, Pakistan is the critical mass for the war on terror. They have nukes, and lots of them. They have their own agenda, but with their proximity to the terror shop that Afghanistan became, there simply is no pulling the country out of the place it now finds itself.

This book is full of interesting information that I wasn't aware of. I won't list it here but anyone interested in politics, al Queda, 9/11, or Pakistan will find the book very worth the time to read.

I highly recommend Pervez Musharraf's memoir In the Line of Fire. When reading someone's memoirs the reader has to keep in mind that those words are written from one person's perspective on events throughout that person's life. That is what President Pervez Musharraf's In the Line of Fire is - this individual's perception on the way he sees things and the events he participated in.

For what it's worth I'm glad I now have a good understanding about why Western-styled democracy doesn't really work in Pakistan. If a nation is half illiterate (48%) and people cannot read or write, they won't be able to understand or debate the issues. For a nation that is still very feudalistic with tribal loyalties and clan loyalties and with an elaborate caste and sub-caste system as described by President Musharraf, then democracy won't work. When the Bhuttos claimed they were "democratizing" the nation, they didn't do it - they copied off the Soviets where they removed private ownership of all businesses and everything was under the control of the government. This is socialism.

President Musharraf also stated that the movie Blackhawk Down featured only American troops in the battle in Somalia. Interesting how the movie producers neglected to mention that other countries had sent troops in, and that it was the Malaysians and the Pakistanis who helped rescue the trapped crew from the Blackhawk helicopter after it was shot down inside Mogadishu, not American forces, as we were all led to believe.

Perhaps the President revealed too much about how they tracked down those who were involved in the suicide bombings in the assassination attempts on his life. Now perhaps the planners or plotters will think twice about trying any future assassinations because eventually they will get caught. But here is something for would-be assassins or terrorists to ponder if they ever have a chance to read this review: even if you do succeed in blowing up one another, using robots or technogical devices, and shattering infrastructure, evidence can be gathered at crime scenes and others who were involved will eventually be found.

As far as President Musharraf removing A. Q. Khan from his position and placing him under house arrest, the Pakistani people may need to take a hard look at the countries he sold the technology to - countries that are considered by the West as rogue nations and are very dangerous. I understand that when Bhutto and A. Q. helped establish Pakistan's top-secret weapons program for the nation, it placed Pakistan on an even footing with its neighbor India and, more importantly, with Israel. It is one thing to develop a nuclear weapons program for your own country's use and protection - it's quite another to sell that technology to very dangerous countries such as Iran and North Korea. And A. Q. Khan should be thankful that the most punishment he got was house arrest because what he did was very treasonous behavior; in many countries treason carries a penalty of death.

It was a good thing to read that Pakistan has taken steps to revamping their madrassas. I was glad to read that madrassas are required to register with the government of Pakistan and that all subjects are taught, not just religion. Those who comply with government standards in accordance with a syllabus provided by the government are the ones who receive funding. I would say those changes are long overdue.

In the chapter called Manhunt it was fascinating to learn that many foreign fighters in Afghanistan fled the battlefield (not so brave, are you?) and crossed the mountains into Pakistan where they were eventually captured. When Pakistan offered to extradite them back to their home countries and if the country refused them (who wants a troublemaker on their soil anyway?) they were then handed over to the United States.

President Musharraf stated that he has done what he can to help build tourism in his country - something else that has not been done before. Also establishing a cultural arts program for Pakistan may help the rest of us understand what Pakistan has to offer the world. And, yes, I'm glad that he defied his country's religious leaders by counter-arguing that music and dancing are not "un-Islamic".

Since I am not a historian, nor a Pakistani, nor an Indian, nor a Muslim, nor am I familiar with all events in Pakistan or in Central Asia but instead a private citizen who is interested in various parts of the world, I have found President Pervez Musharraf's memoir to be of relevant value. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like an inside look at one of the countries who aligned themselves with the U. S. in the global war on terrorism.

The problem with most dictators is that at some point of time they begin to believe the propaganda that they put out about themselves. For example, Musharraf, tells an anecdote about his uncle who wagered that he would slap the bald head of a stranger three times. This old joke has been doing the rounds of India and Pakistan for the last fifty years and I find it oddly disturbing that Musharraf can attribute it to his own family. Knowing that this is probably an untruth, I begin to question almost everything else in the book, including his own loyalty in the war on terror as well as his intentions towards India.

Disclaimer - I support no political organization and do not have an 'Indian' mindset. I was born in Pakistani middle class, educated family (just like Musharraf) and consider myself 'Pakistani' to the core.



Review - This book is an interesting read but one should not expect a sitting head of state to publish a book that is 'honest'. For that matter, its naive to expect any politician to write a book that details facts honestly and analyzes them objectively.

The book is a narrative of the 'great' things Musharraf is doing for Pakistan. Its a narrative of self-praise and vitriolic spite for enemies. I would take all facts stated with a pinch of salt.

Finally, the timing of the book, when YOU are the sitting head of a country, is a way to make a quick buck with blatant disregard of the ruckus your self-eulogy will cause.



The facts speak for themselves:

1. Musharraf continues to remain a sole monarch where the Chief Justice, the guardian of law and order, is forced to resign by men in uniform.

2. Poverty and inflation are rampant at the same time. The rich drive inflation high and the poor become more poor.

3. Crime is rampant, people get mugged, shot at during daylight. Every urban family has experienced a car-jacking at gun point.

4. Corruption has permeated every government and semi-goverment organization. Religious clerics have declared bribery justified because without it nothing gets done.



This is the 7 year legacy Musharraf intends to leave behind, assuming that he intends to or forced to leave, ever. The same legacy left by Bhuttos' or Nawazs'

Disclaimer - I support no political organization and do not have an 'Indian' mindset. I was born in Pakistani middle class, educated family (just like Musharraf) and consider myself 'Pakistani' to the core.

Review - This book is an interesting read but one should not expect a sitting head of state to publish a book that is 'honest'. For that matter, its naive to expect any politician to write a book that details facts honestly and analyzes them objectively.
The book is a narrative of the 'great' things Musharraf is doing for Pakistan. Its a narrative of self-praise and vitriolic spite for enemies. I would take all facts stated with a pinch of salt.
Finally, the timing of the book, when YOU are the sitting head of a country, is a way to make a quick buck with blatant disregard of the ruckus your self-eulogy will cause.

The facts speak for themselves:
1. Musharraf continues to remain a sole monarch where the Chief Justice, the guardian of law and order, is forced to resign by men in uniform.
2. Poverty and inflation are rampant at the same time. The rich drive inflation high and the poor become more poor.
3. Crime is rampant, people get mugged, shot at during daylight. Every urban family has experienced a car-jacking at gun point.
4. Corruption has permeated every government and semi-goverment organization. Religious clerics have declared bribery justified because without it nothing gets done.

This is the 7 year legacy Musharraf intends to leave behind, assuming that he intends to or forced to leave, ever. The same legacy left by Bhuttos' or Nawazs'

Chinua Achebe once said that ,"Until the lions write their own history, story of hunt will only glorify the hunter", and in the dense forest of Pakistani politics no one can say who is hunting whom or who deserves the glorification? . Reading the chapter Coup where Nawaz Sharif is the hunter and Musharraf the glorious lion who will came out victorious luckily and eventually was real fun. As I did not approach the book in search of some political truth so i did not get my heart swell or mind numb in an attempt to weigh the truth________ burning In The Line of Fire! However i felt like coining new words such as 'stubborn confidence', 'humble pride', and above all 'dictocracy'. Despite his secret prayers to serve the country as a President( to seek sole power) he remains innocent as to why God has chosen him for this difficult task of steering the nation aright. Little did he know that with pains men come to greater pains and this was exactly what he had come to. And one wonders why a man has to be a president to serve his nation why not serve any other way...or perhaps its the juicy seat after all!

Worth appraisal are his views regarding education, economics , women's emancipation and tourism. No doubt they are well articulated but how you achieve them is as important as how you say it. Just hope he has wits enough to translate these ideas into practice rationally. I must quote :

"To speak now of the true temper of empire, it is a thing rare and hard to keep; for both temper, and distemper, consist of contraries. But it is one thing, to mingle contraries, another to interchange them." (Bacon)

I wish that a cultural unification is achieved through media and spirit of Nationalism is inculcated one that is in keeping with our ideologies. This is to say that Musharraf must take care in not interchanging national values and interest . Pakistan needs a mingling of contrary elements(such as secularism ,fundamentalism etc ) in order to produce a moderate decent state. After reading the book i could see that Musharraf wants to inculcate nationalism to project 'soft image' of Pakistan through the means of cultural unification and polarity. The thought is brilliant but on the other hand the wise man himself is seeing in to the vast breach between civilian politicians and Army and then again in the army itself!

Kargil event is one example of the gulf between the politicians and the army . I cant see how in a country where everything is divided good will can multiply? This is not provocative cynicism but awake one to the need of unity. Anyhow Kargil heroes i believe deserved the glorious justification that has been given to them. Moving on words the chapters narrating his choice to help America in anti-terror war were not convincing. The lines in the review that he is doing "single most crucial job in the global war on terror',... were mostly likely written to attract the readers all over the world. The fact however is that Musharraf's ambivalence has baffled all__the reader ,the Nation and the World! This is what i think makes him a true politician.

Musharaff is an important figure, and he has an interesting tale to tell. He begins when he was about five years old, and Pakistan was breaking away from India. Musharaff tells of his life story, from the time he left India to live in what is now Pakistan, to the time he spent in Turkey, to his return to Pakistan, and his rise to power. Along the way are several frightening attempts on his life. The book is readable and informative.

The big question is whether you want to believe anything Musharaff says. I do not know enough to question any of the specifics, but some of what he says seems self-serving, e.g., his account of a border skirmish with India which he claims he "won" and his rise to power. My sense is that he is not to be trusted, but I just do not know enough to say. If you are willing to keep an open mind, however, it is an interesting read.

One small thing that bugged me -- Musharaff claims to be a math wiz, yet he keeps making the same simple mistake over and over. If something grew from 5 to 10, he says it grew 200%. I suppose if it "grew" from 5 to 5, he would claim it grew 100%. I know that sounds petty, but here is a man who claims to be best in his class in math, and to understand how to run an economy, and he keeps making the same silly mistake!

It is interesting to note that most of the people writing the review on this book are indians . Their hatred for pakistan has deep rooted historical reasons. I am a pakistani born american living in California, and am well aware of what Musharaff has done for Paksitan and America alike.
He has single handedly redefined the fate of a nation.
Economic Progress (7% in the last 5 yrs)
Free Media (from one state owned tv channel to 43 pvt ones right now) Automobile Production rising from 40,000 cars per year in 2001 to 250,000 per annum in 2007.
Karachi Stock Exchange capitalisation was $5 billion dollars in 2001 . It stands at $57 billion right now.

These are all hardcore achievements. Which need to be celebrated. Thankyou !!! Mr. President .

Being from the Indian side of the sub-continent, I bought this book to get a historical perspective from the other (Pakistani) side. The General writes with candor and provides interesting insights about his early life and upbringing. He also provides a unique perspective on the role of the army in the Pakistan national life. His narrative of Kargil had its elements of fiction and self-righteous posturing. Same with the treatment of the 1971 war. It was disappointing not to learn more about Zia's demise. Overall, an interesting read.

Being from the Indian side of the sub-continent, I bought this book to get a historical perspective from the other (Pakistani) side. The General writes with candor and provides interesting insights about his early life and upbringing. He also provides a unique perspective on the role of the army in the Pakistan national life. His narrative of Kargil had its elements of fiction and self-righteous posturing. Same with the treatment of the 1971 war. It was disappointing not to learn more about Zia's demise. Overall, an interesting read.

i found it a very fun and engaging book to read. granted that i hardly ever get time to sit and read a book, i could not let it go once i started. the author has bought to light many misconceptions that are the highlight of the evening news in the west and said the truth with painful honesty.

In the Line of Fire is the most self-congratulatory, self-serving and arrogant books I've read in a long time, but what some people don't seem to grasp is that these reasons are what makes the book so entertaining to read. Of course the leader of a country that took power by military coup is going to produce a fictional auto-biography, but to complain about it so much misses the point. Know that you're getting a very specific version of the "truth" when you pick this book up, but at the sime time you're also getting a suspense filled page turner because you have no idea what he's going to say next.

Musharraf likens his own personal history to that of Pakistan's history as a nation, even going so far as to include commentary on the back cover that "the entire world depends upon him to succeed." While this a bit of a stretch to say the least, his story is entertaining. The complete random nature of much of the book can be frustrating for some, but it means never having to get bogged down in the details. The sections on his childhood are particularly entertaining, but the best part of the book by far is the story of how he came to power. According to Musharraf, he didn't come to power through a military coup. The Prime Minister in power in 1999 who was trying to get rid of Musharraf was the one responsible for the coup. Musharraf and the army carried out a "counter-coup" for the sake of the nation. Classic.

You may find yourself wondering why Musharraf wrote this book and who his intended audience was. This book was clearly meant for Americans. It wasn't written for his own country, and narcissism aside, for himself either. This book was written to convince Americans unsure of whether Musharraf is a "good guy" or "bad guy" that he is indeed on our side. He tries so hard to appear as America's friend in the book that it almost becomes painful at times. His desire to cultivate this image trumps the overal quality of the book because by the end, he's merely tacking on three or four page chapters on things like the emancipation of women or the "soft" image of Pakistan. The supreme irony here is that if enough of his opponents in Pakistan actually read this book, they might be able to muster enough support to overthrow Musharraf. This is the exact opposite image that he needs to present at home in order to stay in power.

Something else important to keep in mind is that Musharraf has the most unenviable job in the entire world. He has reactionary religious extremists at home that want to overthrow him on one hand, and the U.S. threatening to bomb Pakistan back to the stone age on the other. He's caught in a very tight spot with practically no room to maneuver. That he's been able to stay alive and in power for so long is truly remarkable. It's hard for me at least to be so critical of someone in that position.

The more appropriate title for this book could have been "Self-promotion for Dummies". Musharraf has done nothing but profane self-promotion in the book. He has published stories that no media (including Pakistan's state run media) has failed to buy. He talks about how evil democracy has been in Pakistan -- every democratically elected leader of the country (Bhutto, Sharif) has been critically criticized and military dictators have been portayed as heroes. He has tried to get sympathy from western world by falsely justifying the military coup. He claims as being the saviour of Pakistani economy. He has put forward a completed new, blatantly biased, totally ridiculous pespective on wars with India -- he claims his country beat India each time and is at par with India -- some facts that do not match up with published journalism from BBC, CNN and reports from CIA. He should have thought about his credibility before attacking India by way of his book!

On the positive side, it is an interesting "personal" story about his life and climbing through the ranks of the army. He had a tough life like any other Pakistani or Indian who went through the partition of the country.

Overall, the book is not worth the price!

A good book for a timepass. Havn't got a chance to finish it all but would be good if Mush (short of Musharraf and originated from Bush) had published it after his Military coupe but I guess he is not quite sure if he is gonna live another day.

About the book: You can get it for free online (some guru has uploaded the PDF version of this book). Nice book, nice stories and a great effort by whoever has actually written the book :)

Excellent review of his early life with an insight in what has influenced him and what his priorities are. A very refreshing view by someone in authority into the importance of good relationship with Turkey.

Upfront disclosure - I'm a 33 year old Indian male living in the US, and I'm generally going to focus on the strengths of the book. And the 4 stars is for content and ability to hold interest, mine atleast.

Of all the dictators on the planet, surely Musharraf leads one of the most fascinating and dangerous lives. And how often does a ruling dictator write an accessible book? It makes for fascinating reading if only to gain a perspective not available on CNN or other news source. Musharraf is clearly an extremely talented, shrewd and for the most part cogent writer that understands his place in the delicate balance of American anti-terrorism efforts and escalating domestic and to some extent Islamic-world discontent at his handling of the war against terror and the aftermath of AQ Khan's misdeeds. The book illustrates the somewhat absolute influence of the Pakistan army over civilian lives and decisions as well as the alarming possibility that it may be difficult for even Musharraf to exert complete control over miscreant elements within it. Musharraf himself may be trying to curb the extent of the army's influence in domestic life now and probably because he realizes the very instrument that allowed him to get power may end up destroying him and any hope of a workable detente with India. It also highlights the flaws in simplistically poking holes in Pakistani domestic and foreign policy without gaining an understanding of the knife-edge on which Musharraf himself operates.

The book of course has its flaws. From the self-promotion, to the egregiously erroneous account of Kargil compared to neutral observers and journalists, to the obvious focus on events and details of events that establish a clearly biased position...

Regardless, it is a fun book to read for anyone that cares about the sub- continent and the people that shape it.

Detail and very revealing information. A sincere effort. His encounters with terroist shows his true fighting spirits.

It is a really good book with a lot of information regarding the nation of Pakistan and how legitimate Musharraf's coup was! And, ofcourse, there is a lot of information about the General himself!

After reading first 4 chapters, all I can say is that it was just self praise. Especially, his relationship with General Ali Quli Khan. That's what you find in all auto biographies, mostly self praise.

An upbeat look at Pakistan by President Musharraf himself. You expect this book to be subjective but it is an interesting contrast to the generally negative/pessimistic view you tend to get from the media. That Osama Bin Laden probably lives in Pakistan does not help, but if you believe the author his security forces are still looking hard. It would be good if Prime Minister Vajpayee of India would also write a memoir. It would provide an educational balance to this book.

I found the book to be a honest overview of the General's life and the affairs of Pakistan. I might not agree with all of the Generals comments but do think that he is very sincere. It is an excellent read.

I believe that Mushy did a pretty good job explaining his point of view. The early years sections (1940's and 50's) were awesome. Mushy gives the reader a wonderful Insight on the turbulent birth of Pakistan. His advancement through the ranks of military was most interesting, I loved reading about his rebellious personality. Mushy does an excellent job at explaining the scale of challenges that Pakistan faces, it's limited resources, the tremendous pressure from the West and yet he delivered on every thing that he promised. Mushy takes us step by step from the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, involvement of CIA to create the Jihad movement, creation of an Arab army to fight the Russians. Pull back of USA from Afghanistan without a plan. Creation of Al-Qaeda. The horrible events of 911. The aftermath and the tough choices he had to make as head of the state. All is all an excellent job and Mushy gets two thumbs up.

Well..to begin I'm Pakistani and I like Musharraf, so I am a little biased. I liked the book. Its a straghtforward story of a man who started small and worked his way up to become chief of the Pakistan army based on merit, hard work, and honesty. How many world leaders today are as humble as Musharraf? How many talk about their personal lives and talk like ordinary human beings and not polititians? Not many. It's a good read.

On the positive side the book is well-written and constitues an interesting reading experience. It gives us a good understanding of the President's thought process and at the same time about the Pakistan society in general. I can't but agree with the fact that after all the additions and subtractions we have to come to a conclusion that Musharaff's presidency is far better than any other alternate options any one of us would desire. But on the negative side the President at times comes out as jingoistic and attempts to distort truth when he talks about India and his country's relationship with India. I see this just as a deliberate attempt to walk the narrow line of not trying to offend his country men.

Once you understand where the President is coming from - it is definitely an interesting read. At the least it gives the reader a general idea as to what is going on within Pakistan.

Mr.President, I salute you for taking a country like Pakistan which was going no where and turning it around one step at a time.

It was exactly how I thought about the General. When you finish the book the only thing you find is that "I m the best" which is not the case.

Small chapters and plan English makes this book a pleasant reading. Musharraf comes across as out spoken, sincere and a person who is very knowledgeable about history and current situation. I hope the readers will put aside their dislikeness of army's role in politics and accept Musharraf as leader with vision who has done more for the country then any politicians. Musharraf also presented facts that compelled army to step into politics time and again to stop the bleeding and repair the damage. To keep the army away from politics we need to concentrate on finding and supporting a leader who can out perform Musharraf but until then give him our trust and support he deserves.

The president's memoires provide a marvellous introduction to Pakistan's recent history.

It's going beyond the facts and truth. Well!!, if it's concerned only for the people of Pakistan it's ok

Best book I have read on pakistan's history so far. It explain the complicity of pakistan's position on many issues since the partision.

This book is tremendous! Our press certainly did not give coverage of the help we recieved from Pakistan. President Musharraf is dedicated to bringing Pakistan into the 21st century. I started reading it and could barely put it down.
I wish our leaders were as dedicated to the welfare of America as President Musharraf isto Pakistan. A true statesman like we need instead of politicans.

Although self-congratulatory at times, I found this memoir to be an astounding look at a career of someone whom I have always greatly admired. I thought it was amazing he took the time and effort to write this and communicate to the world his challenges and achievements. Musharraf has successfully walked that very fine line between the secular modernity and Islamic extremism of his constiuents, dragging his country forward into the 21st century. Musharraf is the right man at the right time for his country. Let's all hope, for the sake of Pakistan, and the sake of the world, that he's successful in modernizing and moderating his population.

I seriously believe that the book require a lots of guts to be published. Once you start reading it, you would not want to stop. It takes you to the twists and turns and the real life situations. I salute the efforts of Mr. President and wish him all the best to improve the image of Pakistan in this era.

A must Read !!!

First part of the memoir contains President Musharraf's early life experiences and how he dealt with different cultures and societies. Later on he talks about different eras and aspects of the Pakistani politics particularly the Butto & Zia era and its downfall. Some of the bitter truths about Sharif's & Bhutto's government were exposed. The way he describes his rise to the ranks in the Pakistan Army was a little too much showered with grandiose but who knows how it was actually accomplised. The part about the plane hijacking, his near death experiences and life after saving Pakistan from being declared a failed state were extremely absorbing. I would recommend this autobiography to anyone even remotely interested in Pakistani politics!

I think this is an excellent book. I really learned political trends of Pakistan in last 30-40 years. I also believe that this was the best time to publish something like this and it will help youth of Pakistan and image of Pakistan internationally. I highly recommend this book to all the optimistic people.

It is an excellent Memoir describing the life of President of Pakistan. The information on dynamics of Pakistani society and history told by President Musharaf is in more depth and realistic then what we normally see in history books. Musharaf is very observant and his opinion has a lot more value then many authors from Pakistan. His description of 'war on terror' is most detailed and upto date compared to any other information source. In my opinion, this book is an excellent source of information on Pakistan and the region, besides being a great story about the life of President Musharaf.

I think its funny that a guy who is still in power writes his autobiography and releases it at a time when he has some foot print in the western media. Musharraf as a general was miserable and a sore loser. Read the history books from neutral trustworthy sources. He is as corrupt as any leader can be. How can people have any thing nice to say about this cunning criminal. He deceived his neighboring country, he is deceiving his own country and the western countries while putting away billions in his pocket. It is sad to see a guy like this can brag about his accomplishments and how he improved his country, yet Pakistan is so behind in economy when compared to India. Certainly India has a edge over pakistan as one reviewer correctly identified Pakistan was born with nothing, while India already had a state apparatus set. It is time Pakistani people work together to make save their country from becoming even more failed. It would be nice if Pakistan can become like other south asian countries contributing to peace and regional economy. But corrupt leaders like Musharraf always take over in Pakistan, they derail the country, derail their economy and this derails the regional economy. Musharraf knows how to switch sides which he doesnt mention in this book. He portrays himself as a honest selfless smart man who did great things for his country. Autobiographies that brag of an author's little accomplishments show his/her's small personality. A great man wouldnt write an autobiography unless to record events in his life that might be useful to future generations. A truly great man will inspire others to his about his life.

It is obviously incredibly unusual for a sitting head of state to write an autobiography. A potential historical record becomes instead a political campaign promotional. I'm not sure what the General was doing here. He does not come across as a particularly modest fellow. He's very proud of himself (rightly so, perhaps) for working his way up from a middle-class, "immigrant" background to the head of State of an increasingly important country. He shares intimate details of his personal and family background. But sometimes he appears to go too far. Throughout the book he names and particularly castigates many different individuals who, over his lifetime, slighted him, were disloyal to him, political opponents, etc. This comes off as petty. As Pakistan is the THE frontline state in America's war on terror he provides amazing insights and information on many of the Al-Qaida types. While obviously incredibly defining for him, he spends way too much time focusing on the two attempted assasinations against him. But his appeals to moderation and proposed solutions to conflicts and the "malaise" in the Islamic world are admirable. He rightly states that the Islamic world needs to get its own house in order. Thankfully, he does not talk like just about every other Islamic leader who seem to want us to believe that Israel and America are at the root of every problem facing Muslims today. A "braver" editor would have made this book earn 5 stars in my opinion.

President Musharraf's memoir "In The Line of Fire" provides insight into the mind of a leader who is at the helm of one of Asia's most important developing countries: Pakistan. The book provides the reader a sense of Musharraf the man as well as Musharraf the politician. It details Musharraf's perspective regarding many important and controversial issues including the bloodless coup of 1999, the Kashmir issue, 9/11, nuclear deterrence, the "War on Terror", as well as international and domestic politics. Reasonable minds may differ on whether Musharraf's conclusions and actions are accurate or in the best interest of the nation, but there is no doubt that this is one of the most important political books to come out of Pakistan since Ayub Khan's 1965 book, "Friends Not Masters".

A Great Book about a Man who changed a Nation for the better

This book accurately describes Pakistan in detail and how Pervez Musharraf salvaged Pakistan. Every Pakistani is indebted to him.

Buy the way, the only negative review are coming from Indian Reviewers ,I wonder why.

What I find interesting is that the Indians in general don't like the book and the Pakistanis in general do. I wish the two would forget about their internal propogandas and find a way to just get along instead of adding to the poison that already exists between the two countries. I have friends from both countries and as individuals they are likable, somehow when it comes to politics they hate each other.
I found the book a fascinating read and if the facts as mentioned are true, then I believe Pakistan has a great future under his leadership. Unfortunately, when I went online and researched some of the facts (Wikipedia is a good source) it appears that much of the information is not accurate. This casts doubt on the contents of the rest. If one was to read this book as fiction, one would still come away with some good ideas about how we can make a better society. Since I do not live in Pakistan and have never been there, I can't say how his people feel about his leadership, but as a layman I found some of his information interesting and encouraging.
The problem I found is that, as a diplomat he leaves a lot to be desired. He criticizes the very people he needs to have good relationships with, maybe this was done for internal politics but, IMHO it was in poor taste.
I suggest you read the book and reach your own conclusions

A Prime Minister orchestrating the hijacking of his military chief, a President's cavalcade being rocked by blasts which throw his car into the air which is then driven on rims for miles to safety, manhunts of al-qaeda's top leadership in Pakistan's fashionable urban centers as well as its desolate deserts and mountains, often using cell phone monitoring and DNA evidence from mutilated bodies, tense negotiations between the world's newest nuclear powers and instituting moderation, democratic reform and economic revival in a Muslim state veering towards extremism. All these elements, rightly choreographed, could be woven into a best-selling novel. However, we are not discussing fiction-this is the story of Pakistan's sitting President, Pervez Musharraf, whose real life memoir, "In the Line of Fire," is selling like hot a best seller.

The book must be read because it opens a window into Pakistan-a frontline country in the global war on terror. Pakistan stands poised on a fork-one prong leading to democracy, moderate Islam and economic revival and the other venturing into the uncertainty of reactionary Islamic extremism and economic uncertainty. It is also important because very little independent accounts of the country's contemporary affairs are available, and this one comes from the sitting head of government, who is likely to steer Pakistan's ship for some time to come.

The downside is that the account is biased-as Musharraf targets the West as the primary audience for his work- and ends up portraying himself as the indispensable saviour of the sinking state of Pakistan. The reality is that Pakistan is not sinking and he is not indispensable.

For a student of the complex state that is Pakistan, this book offers valuable insights into Pakistan's "collective mindset," which permeates the narrative. Unlike India, which inherited the infrastructure of British India, Pakistan could barely survive after the partition holocaust of 1947, which saw millions killed. When the nascent state perceived it was deprived of Kashmir due to a nonexistent military in 1947-48, it assumed a "Pakistan-under-siege" mindset, which still prevails even if has lessened in intensity. The quest for security strengthened the military disproportionately against other institutions of the state and has led to the khaki shadow engulfing all aspects of Pakistan, infact choking civilian growth. The desire to "liberate" Kashmir is so strong, that it has led to two military misadventures, one in 1965 and the other in 1999, ie, Kargil. The "Pakistan-under-siege" mindset was further reinforced, rather permanently etched into Pakistan's "establishment," after its dismemberment in 1971. After the 1974 India test, Pakistan went all out to get a nuclear deterrent, which explains the kind of autonomy AQ Khan enjoyed till his infamous exploits in exporting nuclear technology were discovered in 2003. The mindset also explains Pakistan's aversion to taking strong action against the Taliban because of the need to secure its western frontier.

The fascinating parts of the book relate to the hunt for the elusive leaders of al-qaeda, especially Abu Zubaida, Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, and Al-Libbi. Abu Zubaida was arrested as a result of 13 simultaneous raids in urban Punjab. Khalid Sheikh Mohammad had chosen a safe house in Rawalpindi, akin to the Pentagon in the US, a few minutes from Pakistan army's headquarters. A low level al-qaeda courier had squeaked about the general area and not the specific houses. On intuition, Pakistan's intelligence raided two houses to arrest him. Al-Libbi was missed thrice in Pakistan's rugged Frontier province before he was surrounded by burqa (black veil) wielding Pakistani agents. The tools used to arrest these "high value" targets were cell phone tracing done indigenously by using the SIMs (subscriber identification modules) in the first generation mobile phones used by al-qaeda operatives, half burnt id cards and of course, intelligence provided by CIA which has constantly worked with Pakistan's agencies. These encounters in chapter 20-25 run like a James Hadley Chase thriller.

Written in a simple and personal style, there is a lot of "I" in the book. In the beginning, it doesn't irk, because Musharraf describes his formative years. However, one starts to realize soon that there is a lot of smugness and self-applause in the book, mostly at the expense of others. Parts of the narrative appear vain and childishly self-praising. Witness his description of his relations with his subordinates when he commanded a unit. "I have always been loved by those under my command and therefore I could move them to achieve anything I desired. ----------I ran with them (normally in the lead)." However, such parts also lend an honesty to the narrative-he is writing what he believes-and has not tampered his account to suit his readership.

The facts in the book have been factually tailored to suit Musharraf, and herein lies its greatest weakness. Kargil- described by Musharraf as a victory- was actually an embarrassing misadventure. Musharraf counts the Indian losses, but not the loss of life on the Pakistani side, as well as the diplomatic disaster that ensued. His account of the 2001 Agra summit with Prime Minister Vajpayee puts the blame of failure on India's extremist BJP leadership, conveniently forgetting his ill-timed, show stealing, Kashmir centric televised press conference which actually the chances of a compromise. The blame for sharing nuclear technology is put solely on AQ Khan's shoulders, although it is implausible to imagine that the then military leadership, which included Musharraf, was in the dark. His remarks about some of his military colleagues leave a bad taste, as do his remarks about some of his Indian and Afghan interlocutors. On the domestic front, he highlights one of Pakistan's human rights heroines, Mukhtaran Mai, but conveniently forgets another equally courageous woman, Dr Shazia Khalid, who was allegedly raped by a military officer and later whisked away to London. This case also reveals Musharraf's blind spot-the overarching and debilitating shadow of Pakistan's military on the state, which had choked civil society institutions.

Musharraf also disappoints as far as his reform agenda for Pakistan is concerned. His theory of enlightened moderation is admirable, but his plans for poverty alleviation in Pakistan seem amateurish and inadequate. By ousting Pakistan's two popular, though discredited civilian leaders, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's democracy can at best be described as controlled. In seven years, he has done nothing to improve social services at the peoples level; nothing to improve the judiciary and law enforcement and civil service reform is non-existent. His dishing out of all top civilian jobs to retired and serving military officers has led to resentment and demoralization in the civil service. One can easily see that he cannot think beyond himself, and beyond the army. Therefore he seems incapable of ushering in real democracy and real reform of Pakistan's civil society and social sectors. Real democracy would be a threat to his remaining in office and real reform would only be possible if the exorbitant defence expenditure and dominance of military is rolled back-something he is incapable of doing.

Disappointments aside, the book is valuable because it opens up to the world the mind of Pakistan's ruler, and of Pakistan's collective decision making mindset. Musharraf's pomposity, tailoring of facts and the use of the "I," though irritating, also mean that the narrative comes from his heart, and is an honest rendition of his feelings and policies, past, present and future. As a Pakistani, one cannot help but wishing that he would turn out to be a Pakistani De Gualle, someone who ushers in real reform in Pakistan and fades away. But for that to happen-Musharraf would have to metamorphose before he can endeavor to change Pakistan.

In his bibliography General Pervez Musharraf has presented himself as a staunch ally of the United Sates, in the war against terror and even beyond. His perception and conviction is that not only he is invincible but also irreplaceable, as long as he gets the blessings of the Bush administration. His intentions are clear and vocal. He shows no interest nor relates to the sentiments of his countrymen and does not look for a popular support from the domestic scene. His authority comes from the barrel of the gun and that suffice him.

In his book Musharraf stands out as a person who lacks discipline and sensibility. He proudly tells us, in a most sadistic manner, at least two instances while he was growing up. One is in which he and his friends bullied an elderly bald person and second his blasting an explosive at the house of aging and weak warden. He shows no regrets for these rather inhuman acts. The reader is also astonished to learn the lack of discipline the writer admits while he was in the army - one being a clear case of cheating and another was walking away from a highly tense situation at the borders in 1965. One wonders that how such a person achieved the distinction of being the commander in chief of the armed forces. It is no wonder that when the elected Prime Minister fired him, he refused to be removed and staged a military coup, instead.

In his bibliography General Musharraf informs the reader about the misadventure of Kargil and stresses that he informed the then Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif about his plans to take possession of the Indian held territory in Kashmir. Nawaz Sharif on his part refutes Musharraf's side of the story by saying that he was never informed of the plans about Kargil. A close analysis of the events show that it was General Musharraf's idea to move ahead and he did so without adequate planning or assessing the fallout of the military action. It remains doubtful if he ever thought fit to inform the Prime Minister because in his judgment, as we gather from other sources, the Army was beyond the civilian control and that he was not answerable to the people's representatives.

General Musharraf in his bibliography highlights the nuclear proliferation by a Pakistani scientist but does not come up with any defense against the accusations that some greedy Army generals were involved in these unlawful acts. Although he admits that the centrifuges were carried on C-130, an aircraft which is under Army's control.

"In the line of fire" informs the reader about million of dollars that were received by the Pakistani government from the Bush administration, for handing over terrorist suspects. In his CNN appearance General Musharraf said that it is not the government but some people who received that money - contradicting his own writings. He remains defenseless in this matter as he has been accused of turning Pakistan into a client State. These and other facts have been removed from the Urdu version of the bibliography.

The reader is horrified to know that while staging a coup, his loyal soldiers came very near to kill the newly appointed Commander-in-Chief and other generals, who were promoted at that time. The happenings as described by General Musharraf are frightening as for the first time the people of Pakistan become aware that the coup had serious risks and potential of a widespread bloodshed.

General Musharraf accuses Islamic fundamentalists for a number of assassination attempts against him. The details that he gives of the Air Force and Army personals' involvement lead the reader to believe that there is more to that. It seems that apart from the Islamic fundamentalists there were also nationalists who might have conspired against him.

The main weakness of the book remains when the author does not tell his readers about the general Pakistani impression that the Army generals have become highly corrupt and non-professional. Nor does he explain the military reasons for the humiliating defeat of the Army in 1971 East Pakistan war.

SYED FAROOQ HASNAT, Ph.D.
Columbia, Maryland

General Pervez Musharraf's interesting autobiography reveals the tragedy of smaller powers that are caught up in big-power politics. Islamic fundamentalism-based terrorism is a daily reality in South Asia and Pakistan is on the frontline. Having bought US aid in return for a major role against the Soviet military in Afghanistan, Pakistan helped to create the International Islamic Army funded by the US and Saudi Arabia that defeated the Soviets and then turned itself on us in the West and on the moderate politicians in South Asia. Try as he might to appear to be a hero, the book reveals his hapless situation trying to please the West in its war against terror and placate the fanatics in his own country who were spawned by our past policy to use Islamic fundamentalism as a weapon against communism. There is an old Asian saying that those who seek to walk among elephants end up being trampled.

Musharraf has corroborated what we had suspected all along: Indians were tactically out-maneuvered in Kargil and suffered a tremendous shock to their self-image. Reading other reviews, it is clear that the petulant Indians are upset about an alternative narrative, a narrative that collides with their fragile egos. With this national psychology, there is no chance of that graceless India will rise above its weak and ineffectual situation.

I read both Musharraf Memoirs and The Musharraf Factor by Abid Ullah Jan. if you are interested in irrelevant personal stories, then go ahead and read Musharraf's memoir, which at some points take him out of Islam when he write, "a simple game of bridge saved my life." In Islam, attributing life and death to anything else, other than God is called shirk.

however, if you want to read serious discussion and analysis of Musharraf's policies and actions, I would strongly recommend The Musharraf Factor. To go a step futher behind the lies of Mush and Bush, read From BCCI to ISI, which shows how Musharraf actually sold his country and military intelligence agency - ISI.

Musharraf's statements in this memoir and his statements such as the US threatened him and that alleged Pearl killer was MI6 spy proves that ISI was used in Operation 9/11 and that information was used to threaten and blackmail Pakistan. General Musharraf admitted on September 21, 2006 -- five years after 9/11 and 2 months after publication of "From BCCI to ISI"-- that the US threatened him into submission. This is half-truth in itself.

Musharraf's admission to being threatened is just one part of the bigger picture. Musharraf is talking only about the bombing threat and not about the reason the US would have given to the world for bombing Pakistan. The reason was very clear: ISI's role in Operation 9/11.

The more the scheme to dismantle ISI exposes, the more we know about General Musharraf's earlier request to Benazir government to eliminate the role of ISI, the more it becomes evident that Musharraf was not taken by surprise after 9/11.

Musharraf was as much part of the big plan, including the framing of ISI as his associates in the United States. We recommend a study of From BCCI to ISI. Evidence to prove the conclusions of this book right are coming before us with increasing frequency.

Have read lot of reviews about the book. After watching President Musharraf in the Daily Show, I decided to buy a copy. Book starts of well, but as you go along you get a sinking feeling like Duh, What is he talking about? Most of the paragraphs are full of self praise and how he had an exceptional body and was a very brave gang leader ready to pick fights with people. To his credit the President Musharraf is honest and admits that he is not very intelligent. The only facts in the books are that the Pakistani Military is the worlds best, its special operations group is the best in the world and everything else related to Pakistan Army is the best in the world. West Point take note, the Pakistan Army can teach you a lesson. Due to these words which sound more like callous bravado I bothered to check the facts the author makes regarding wars of India. My two hours of research on the Internet showed that the India's air force was not `wiped off the air' in their war of 1965, nor that their 1971 war was the mistake of Pakistani politicians. Their most recent war in Kargil which he claims a victory for Pakistan, didn't seem like one from any angle. I also went through official Indian Government records and it shows that India launched an investigation into their Army's failures to detect Pakistani attacks. If Indian government launches an investigation into its intelligence failure to detect Pakistani intrusions how can they be intruding into Pakistan like President Musharraf claims?

After this I took everything with a pinch of salt. The President is also peeved that in the movie Black Hawk Down the Pakistani Army wasn't shown much. He says that the US Army Rangers and Delta Force were saved not because of their training but because the World's best Pakistani Army. Why can't the world's best army focus its energies in finding Osama, rather than getting concerned about Hollywood movies?

It would have helped if the English was good. A Mexican Immigrant can write a book with better grammar. The English makes you cry when the President "sorrowfully" pulls soldiers from a tank, and when some of the sentences don't make sense. Can't the publishers or the President who commands the world's best army find a decent proof reader? I have lost respect for Simon & Schuster.

Overall I will recommend Tom Clancy over this. At least Tom Clancy has some facts right. It's really scary that we are dependant on a man like this, and his world's best army in our war on Terror. God save Us.

In the Line of Fire is an honest account of the life and times of General Pervez Musharraf and a brief history of Pakistan and its political and internal problems. Pervez Musharraf gives his opinion on almost every past ruler of Pakistan except General Ayub Khan. For some reasons he neglects to mention the contradictions and similarities between his rise to power and the rule. Both were Commander-In-Chiefs of the armed forces. Ayub Khan took the country over by a pre-planned coup, whereas Pervez Musharraf acquired power by default. Both Ayub Khan and Pervez Musharraf brought the country out of a failed democratic system into a stable military system and both gave the country stature and respect around the world.

While the West loves "democracy", it is not a source to cure the ills of the illiterate masses. When the masses go to the polling booths (like in India, the so-called largest democracy in the world) the people are forced by the local gangsters to put a check mark next to the picture of the candidate who paid them the most money to get them elected (as most people cannot read or write, or understand who they are voting for). In such a situation, what the country needs is an honest dictator who is doing well for the country and the people. Pervez Musharraf happened to step in by a stroke of fate to save the country from an economic disaster that was augmented by 9/11.

I think that this book is a sincere presentation of the facts and the relations and the dilemmas with the Pakistan's neighboring countries, including the Kashmir problem which India who likes to talk about it but refuses to solve the problem working on the adage "possession is nine-tenths of law", while committing un-bearable atrocities on the Kashmiri people. To learn more about the situation in Kashmir I would recommend reading the book "Kashmir: Happy Valley, Valley of Death" by Dr. William Baker.

I am Indian, I read this book out of sheer curiosity. It made for interesting reading overall. Really, I'm not in a position to comment on what is true or what is not, given that I am a generation removed and was not even born several decades after the partition. It was indeed a very unfortunate event. I have some very good friends that happen to be Pakistani and I cannot see them even remotely as "enemies" at any angle, unlike Musharraff, who categorically refers to India and Indians as "the enemy". My Pakistani friends are just as nice and humane as any of my Indian friends. I thought he is candid at times when referring to memories of his childhood and his family, but often comes across in most of his writing and dealings, as unsophisticated and lacking polish.

I was especially amused by his statement that he refused to step foot in India in an especially difficult situation when he was refused entry into Pakistan and the plane had only enough fuel to land in nearby India. India (or for that matter, mankind) is basically humane and would never have belittled him for setting foot there in such a situation - his personal reactions to contexts like these made him come across as somewhat immature as a person.

In the Line of Fire: A Memoir by Pervez Musharraf
Review by Aisha Fayyazi Sarwari

"Political speech and writing," says George Orwell is largely the "defense of the indefensible." So if the literary genius read General Pervez Musharraf's memoir, In The Line of Fire, What would he say?

Though most of the world knows George Orwell for his book, Animal Farm, I remember him for the essay called, Politics and The English Language. It is his classic work on all political writing to date.

Orwell deconstructs bad writing by politicians and fascists alike with ease, but I feel that he would be in quiet a fix with Musharraf's book, and wouldn't know what to make of it really.

Back in my college days, I carved George Orwell out in my mind as the only standard for the oxymoron: political truth-telling. He was someone I could go back to again when I heard state television news, or flipped though some Indian opinion piece on Kashmir.

Now that I have read Musharraf's Memoir, I wondered if I should go back to Orwell, or shall I put a value on the popularity that this head of state of a developing country has on, say, the Jon Stewart show. For years, studying in the US as an international student, my fantasy has been to get a Pakistani face, on the US media and into the homes of the average American. I bet if I was still in America, I would gloat on how Musharraf has managed converge all technologies, from the branded publishing house to the community radio shows to sing to the tune of his life and his country.

I'm in Lahore though and my country is headed by a military dictator who can neither be dictator enough to do away with the extra-constitutional Hudood laws, nor benevolent enough to resign as army chief and stand for elections. Filp-flopping between appeasing the mullahs and the west, he plays to the theater by walking the much acclaimed tightrope of a moderate Muslim country's leader, all on Pakistan's expense.

Orwell asked readers of political literature to notice how the word "democracy" is used in a "consciously dishonest way" and notice that when we say that a country is democratic "we are praising it: consequently the defenders of every kind of regime claim that it is a democracy, and fear that they might have to stop using that word if it were tied down to any one meaning."

When I bought the memoir, angry, I thought I was ready to unleash Orwell onto it. I thought I could circle a few embarrassing quotes from Musharraf that have "private definition, but allows his hearer to think he means something quite different." I also thought I could pick out bad writing of a pre-teen Secret Seven adventure, with clichés like, "I had no time to lose" and prove that he assumed too much authority. I thought I could point to the images of a decapitated face skin of a bomber who tried to assassinate him and say that it was in bad taste, that he was using an image of war to define urgency which reflects the decay of his political thought. I wanted him to stop condemning earlier politicians for banning liquor and making Friday a public holiday, and begin by undoing their wrong if he cared enough.

It wasn't that simple though, I noticed that Pervez Musharraf steers clear from George Orwell's most cautioned malaise - Lack of Clarity.

Musharraf has seemed to remedy with his clear, crisp and honest language the very nature of political language which Orwell says is "designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable."

Musharraf labels rot as rot, and if his story is to be believed he never would be a dictator, nor does he support the interference of the military into politics, as he explains at length, for the right reasons too.

Any witness to the history that maps his last 10 years has reason to substantiate the circumstances that led to his rise as army chief and supreme leader of Pakistan. Fortunately for our times, we don't have to wait two generations to have declassified information to us. Thanks to Simon and Schuster's profits we know that any leader acting in self interest will publish truthfully.

Any learned American inspired by the Jeffersonian ethic will like this book, so will a solider, a republican or a democrat with a commitment to minority rights. Refreshingly though, the book isn't written for the American, as much as it resonates with the nationalist Pakistani with the Jinnahist ethic - the secular democratic Pakistan that is successfully liberal because of its culturally Islamic background rather than despite it.

Despite the clarity with which Musharraf approaches the book, he cannot be pardoned for the mistakes he's made in real governance. One only wishes he walked his text.

Musharraf, as a young boy, escaping the violence of the Hindu mobs before Pakistan was created, says he cried on the day Pakistan's founder, Barrister Mohammad Ali Jinnah died. A claim no one can testify to, but the nobility of which is not lost, for it to deserve mention in this world best-seller. Yet, I find that Musharraf's understanding of the political history of Pakistan's creation is a bit shallow. Had he really understood how much Jinnah's Pakistan is violated in the attack on the parliament's sovereignty, he would have stepped down as army chief the first date at which the Supreme Court mandate expired.

Moreover, the lengthy chapters he assigned to the "corruption and plunder of national wealth" that he blames on previous two rulers does not even come close to the institutionalized corruption that the Pakistan Army indulges in, by awarding land deeds and a life of luxury to its officers, all for nothing.

Having said that, there is probably no doubt in the fact that if there is an army chief that can give "India a bloody nose" and live to sell about it, its Pervez Musharraf.

Kargil was a reaction to what he revealed to be an attempt by India to claim that the area insurgents were moving forward on the line of control in Kashmir, and use it as a cause belli to launch an attack. Details as he laid them out, made Kargil to be a successful operation because it exposed Indian belligerence, prevented an all out war and put Kashmir back on the international agenda with possible talks for peace. Not to mention a hilarious expose on how the Indian army took advantage of the communication wall with Pakistan to dramatize false attacks and award medals to officers, apparently leading to court martial when later discovered.

If not for nothing the book ought to be praised for the fire it lit in enough Indian Intelligentsia, which for years has invested millions of dollars into heinous and very negative propaganda about Pakistan.

Musharraf and his Clint Eastwood title, should also get the credit of knowing the pulse of Hollywood. He drove a point home about the movie, Black Hawk Down to emphasize how it was the Pakistan army who went out and "extracted" the US solders ambushed in Mogadishu, contrary to what was made the US army credit. If he clarified even that, Orwell I am sure wouldn't know what's worse, A dictator who writes clearly, or one who rules with contradictions.

Let's be clear about this though. Musharraf will go down a famous man in History. Precisely because he did what Orwell said was the best remedy - "If you simplify your English, you are freed from the worst follies of orthodoxy."

Can we hope that this new wave of popularity