Following a decision by Pakistan's ruling coalition to impeach Gen Pervez Musharraf, the General has decided to step down.
Faced with mounting pressure from former political allies and dwindling support from his international backers, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, once a top U.S. ally, is expected to resign in the next few days, according to Pakistani officials.
A week after leaders of the ruling coalition said they planned to impeach Musharraf, the capital was abuzz with speculation that he would step down before formal impeachment charges are filed in Parliament on Monday. Musharraf, who seized power in a military coup nine years ago, has survived at least two assassination attempts. But his opponents said Thursday that he was unlikely to withstand the current challenge to his presidency.
Astounding. This so-called "backward" country has just rid itself of a dictator and we can't get an overgrown frat-brat off our backs. What's happened to us?
(There are serious aspects to this, like for instance how Musharraf's pretense as a major Bush "ally" was a contributing factor in his pull-down, but I'm on vacation and don't care.)
When I saw Rep. Allyson Schwartz speak at a meet-your-congresswoman event, she held out the lack of upset around the 2000 elections as an example of how strong the US political system is. I had to gag. People like Schwartz - and that's nearly all the Dems in Congress - would rather have criminals break the law with impunity than make even the tiniest waves.
Posted by: eRobin | August 18, 2008 at 08:55 AM