heeeee's outta here!

Musharraf resigns! Hallelujah! I, for one, didn't expect it. I thought for sure he'd roll up his sleeves and at least put up a good fight. I guess since he finally resigned as Army Chief last year, he no longer had quite the muscle he once possessed (and abused). This is great news for the people of Pakistan, who have been itching for new leadership and a return to democracy for years, and also for European and US leaders, who have been remarkably ambivalent both to Musharraf's extensive rule and to his ouster. I suppose they couldn't really decide if they liked him or not: after all, he was an ally (nominally, at least) in the "war on terror," and I guess he wasn't monstrous enough for us to really care about his illegitimate rule and the practices he used to maintain it. Regardless, he's finally out, and what's better is that it was the people of Pakistan and their true representatives who made it happen peacefully. This is the democratic process at work, and I hope that the new government is able to use this momentum to stabilize Pakistan economically and politically and to begin an even stronger campaign against extremist violence in the region.

it's about time pakistan got rid of musharraf

Let's just see if he decides to dismiss Parliament in the face of opposition to his illegitimate rule... again: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/world/asia/08pstan.html?hp

As the article points out immediately, Musharraf is an ally of the US in its war on terror, a prime example of our willingness to ignore the value of democracy and freedom in an attempt to gain allies against the Taliban. What the article doesn't clarify is that the PPP, Benazir Bhutto's party until her tragic assassination upon return from exile earlier this year, is also anti-Taliban and anti-terror. After reading Benazir's book, Reconciliation, a few months ago, I have come to believe that it's about time Pakistan liberated itself from a toxic Musharraf regime, founded on illegitimate voting and brutal scare tactics, even collaboration with violent groups that help maintain its power. The US could have an equally strong partner against terrorism in a democratically elected President under PPP rule. While the initial turmoil might cause more instability, the long-term result of a stable AND democratic Pakistan unencumbered by the stubborn obstinance of Mr. Musharraf and his power-hungry policies would be an even more effective ally against the Taliban and a regional partner we can be proud to deal with.