One of our Dictators is in trouble

No, not Little Georgy or Uncle Dick. Sorry to get your hopes up.
Let's not underestimate the seriousness of this situation. Because of our support of another dictator, we have created another hotbed of anti-US Muslims. The main difference between Pakistan and other nations is the fact that Pakistan is a much more stable and moderate state. Pakistan's populace still want rule of law, not necessarily a Theocracy.
The current opposition leader is their Supreme Court Chief Justice, not an Imam.
From PRlog.

Pakistan's Political Crisis And Musharraf's Desperation

The anti-Musharraf agitation spear-headed by Chaudhary has transformed the national landscape and infused a new spirit in the people

Source: Dipayan Mazumdar and Associates
May 28, 2007
PRLog.Org) – Even though people's mobilization over the judicial crisis has exposed Gen. Pervez Musharraf's political incompetence, as Kargil conflict proved his military shortcoming, he shows no sign of making amends by responding to the people's yearning for change and return to full democracy and civilian rule. When the nation was mourning the killing of 41 Karachi citizens at the hands of his goons, who prevented sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary from entering Pakistan's largest city and addressing a gathering of lawyers and others, he was bold enough to announce that he was hell bent on getting re-elected President for another five-year term by the existing national and provincial legislatures and there was no escape possible for Pakistan from the military boots.
[...]
The anti-Musharraf agitation spear-headed by Chaudhary has transformed the national landscape and infused a new spirit in the people, which the General and his cronies, who depend on him for survival and have amassed huge fortunes refuse to acknowledge. For the Pakistani military ruler it has been a cruel spring in which he stands guilty of several miscalculations. But, buttressed by the firm support he continues to receive from the United States, which wants him in office to implement a bagful of strategic plans for the region and remain a staunch and dependable military ally, Musharraf feels secure in his place and is obligated to provide military support to whatever the U.S. and NATO decides for the region.
[...]
The Karachi riots have made the people wonder if the present rulers have lost hope of retaining in power through legitimate constitutional means and are prepared to do anything to stay in office.

Sound familiar? It should.

Gen. Musharraf is obviously trying to settle scores with the top judiciary which has overturned some government orders and issued notices to the state on disappearances of hundreds of political activities rounded up by the police and other agencies. The very first step is to seek removal of the Chief Justice was inspired by political motives. The legal community, civil society and political opposition, alienated by past assaults on the judiciary's independence have rightly interpreted the move as driven by political considerations.
[...]
It is, perhaps, for the first time in the history of Pakistan that the Chief Justice episode shows that the judiciary has been trying to assert its independence vis-à-vis the executive, which has acquired unprecedented powers under the patronage of the military. Under the Commonwealth principles, as reiterated by the British Government, Pakistan is morally and politically bound to ensure and respect the separation of powers and independence of action between the three branches of government – the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

Obviously, the removal of a non-pliant Chief Justice is meant to send a message to the world that in an election year, the President wants to ensure that there is no threat to his plans to get re-elected in uniform and also win the parliamentary election for the ruling party he himself created, so that everything continues as at present.
[...]

Again, does any of this sound familiar? At least Pakistan has a leading figure, Justice Chaudhary, willing to risk everything to institute Judicial oversight.
Bush is promoting the upcoming elections in Pakistan. I wonder what he will do if they don't go his way, like what happened with the Palestinian elections.
It seems like the fix is in for Musharraf, but if he doesn't win, it's not likely his successor will be a NeoCon lap dog.
Although there are a lot of pundits warning us about the dangers of Pakistan's nukes falling under the control of extremists, remember, Pakistan has a much bigger shadow right next door, India.
Their traditional enemy has been trying to work with Pakistan to cool tensions. Any new gov't would be quickly reminded that if they start tossing around nukes, about a billion Indians would get very angry.

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