Musharraf out?

The NYT is reporting that Perves Musharraf, dictator President of Pakistan, faced with the threat of impeachment, is on his way out and expected to resign in the next few days.

It's been almost nine years since he gained power, so he's been quite a survivor for that part of the world. It is arguable that he was brought down by the GWOT, the Pakistanis were unwilling, in the long run, to be the front line troops in Feckless Leader's excellent adventure.

It's anyone's guess if the new political reality there will be able to cope with the monumental problems the country faces, Pashtun (what you call Taliban) insurgency, India/Kashmir, the soaring cost of essentials, etc.

The new army chief, Kayani, seems to be allowing politics to go on without intervention from the army. But if the politicos are unable to deal with the above problems, the old pattern might emerge. Unfortunately, as in India, democracy often means a more extreme foreign policy against their neighbor, and Pakistan can't afford that.