Musharraf's Exit

I have thought in the past few years that no world leader faced as many challenges as Pakistan's Musharraf. He recognized from the start that he would have to ally with the US, even though such a move was wildly unpopular in his own country. His intelligence services are riven with Islamists who have reportedly aided Bin Laden's forces in the "ungoverned" regions of Pakistan. The man was in a tough spot, and I think that on the balance, he was a good and reliable partner for us.

Pakistan after Musharraf will not be a better place. Any attempt to become more popular with the Pakistani electorate appears to include moving away from the US.