President Musharraf of Pakistan Resigns
Under pressure over impending impeachment charges, President Pervez Musharraf announced that he would resign Monday, ending nearly nine years as one of the United States’ most important allies in the campaign against terrorism.
Facing impeachment, President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan said that by resigning, he was putting national interest above “personal bravado.”
“Whether I win or lose the impeachment, the nation will lose,” he said, adding that he was not prepared to put the office of the presidency through the impeachment process.
Mr. Musharraf said the governing coalition, which has pushed for impeachment, had tried to “turn lies into truths.”
“They don’t realize they can succeed against me but the country will undergo irreparable damage,” he said.
Pervez Musharraf forged a personal bond with President Bush, but he proved to be a frustrating customer for the U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sought to emphasize continuity with the new leaders of Pakistan on Monday, saying the United States would keep pressing the Pakistani government to battle extremism within its borders. She also thanked Mr. Musharraf for his efforts against terrorism. The president of the Senate, Muhammad Mian Soomro, assumed the office of acting president several hours after Mr. Musharraf’s resignation.
More here... http://www.nytimes.com/# and here http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/world/asia/19pstan.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
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This is big news! Who knows what the new government will be like? A better Taliban fighter? Less or more cooperative with the US?
The political landscape in the ME as well as in the Caucasus is like shifting quicksand right now!
Under pressure over impending impeachment charges, President Pervez Musharraf announced that he would resign Monday, ending nearly nine years as one of the United States’ most important allies in the campaign against terrorism.
Facing impeachment, President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan said that by resigning, he was putting national interest above “personal bravado.”
“Whether I win or lose the impeachment, the nation will lose,” he said, adding that he was not prepared to put the office of the presidency through the impeachment process.
Mr. Musharraf said the governing coalition, which has pushed for impeachment, had tried to “turn lies into truths.”
“They don’t realize they can succeed against me but the country will undergo irreparable damage,” he said.
Pervez Musharraf forged a personal bond with President Bush, but he proved to be a frustrating customer for the U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sought to emphasize continuity with the new leaders of Pakistan on Monday, saying the United States would keep pressing the Pakistani government to battle extremism within its borders. She also thanked Mr. Musharraf for his efforts against terrorism. The president of the Senate, Muhammad Mian Soomro, assumed the office of acting president several hours after Mr. Musharraf’s resignation.
More here... http://www.nytimes.com/# and here http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/world/asia/19pstan.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
------------------------------------------
This is big news! Who knows what the new government will be like? A better Taliban fighter? Less or more cooperative with the US?
The political landscape in the ME as well as in the Caucasus is like shifting quicksand right now!