Will Musharraf Fall, and if so, what then?

Will Musharraf Fall, and if so, what then?

www.thenation.com

Pakistan's President-General, Pervez Musharraf, is facing his worst crisis since he took power in a coup in October 1999. The last three weeks of March have seen violent protests in Islamabad, Lahore and other cities led by black-suited lawyers but followed, increasingly, by once-docile political parties, including the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. All scent that more than seven years of military rule may be coming to a close.

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[edit on 1-4-2007 by UM_Gazz]

With all the noise and thunder about Iran and it's nuclear program, it seems that we have forgotten that not only does our sometime ally Pakistan actually has nuclear weapons, but that it has an extremely unstable and dangerous history. Until 9/11 Pakistan's President-General, Pervez Musharraf and his government supported the Taliban in Afghanistan and that many in his secret police and military establishment support Al Qeada as well. Should Musharraf fall (and the odds are not in his favor) the chances are that Pakistan and its nuclear weapons could end up in the hands of Taliban and Al Qeada sympathizers. What then? Iran in my opinion is just posturing and talking big... my fear is that the people most likely to succeed Musharraf will not be playing around, but play for keeps and that we are ignoring this danger.

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I think he has made sure Pakistan's friends(and enemies infact) all understand that they are better off with him not being 'ousted'..
And thus they are ALL working to keep him safe.
Of course he's not going to remain there till he dies or something.. but he will gradually release power by means of puppet govt etc etc..

Perhaps but in the long run it is not Pakistan's friends or enemies that are important, it is the Pakistanis themselves and from all I have read and heard, they haven't been sold on his (or his alliance with the U.S.) value as yet.

With Pakistan bordering on a state of emergency this thread is more timely than ever. So what will happen if Musharraf does fall which is becoming increasingly more likely? Most specifically what happens if their nukes fall into the hands of anti-American, pro-Taliban/Al Qeada forces in the Pakistani military and secret service?