Despite the denials of the past few weeks, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf resigned after being faced with impeachment from Pakistan's ruling parliamentary majority. Part of the deal is immunity from prosecution and guaranteed safe passage out of Pakistan. On Fox News Sunday this weekend, Condoleezza Rice said there were no plans to offer Musharraf asylum here. Musharraf said he was resigning "in the nation's interest" and denied any wrongdoing.
The Bush policy towards Pakistan made it seem like the United States was more committed to keeping Musharraf in power than pursuing a functioning democracy, and so the United States might be in a weaker position than it could have been in terms of a relationship with Pakistan's future leader, who is likely to be one of the leaders of the two majority parties. Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, holds the most seats. In many ways, this is simply the culmination of a series of events that started when she was assassinated last year. Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, told the AFP in reaction to Musharraaf's resignation that "democracy is the best revenge." Given the potential problems that could be created from the rivalry between Zadari's father Asif Ali Zardari and former president Nawaz Sharif, let's hope everyone feels that way.
-- A. Serwer
