By taking this dude on Musharaff has just signed his own death warrant. Now, what i would like to know is what happened to make Musharaff take such a stance? Is this tied to the assasination attempts on Musharaff's life some weeks ago? Has Musharaff decided to take on the 'hidden hand' in Pakistan, and risk not only the ISI but also the powerful clerics and the rabble? And why? Have we (the US) promised Musharaff prtection (although i really do not see what type of protection we could truly deliver while he is still in Pakistan)? Does Musharaff know what he just did, and if he does (and i am 100% sure he knows the sword of damocles that is dangling over his head), what measures has he taken to protect himself?
Will he be alive tomorrow ....the day after ...the week after?
And what is India's reaction? The reason i ask this is nowadays India seems to be supportive of Musharaff under the ol' 'better the devil i know' concept. If Musharaff is usurped/exiled/killed/killed-and-then-chopped-up etc etc then India faces the prospect of a new Pakistani leader who is a 'little loco' (read raging muslim nut) with his zealot thumb on the nuclear button.
However at the end the question is this .........why did Musharaff do this???? What prompted him?
Because he's between a rock and a hard place.
Pakistan is an acknowledged nuclear power. And President Musharraf is right now on the verge of being overthrown by the radical Islamists, who are essentially a mix of al Qa'ida and Taliban. If that coup is successful, it will place Pakistan's nuclear stockpile directly in the hands of these terrorists.
Last September, Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qa'ida's second in command, issued a fatwa calling for Musharraf's assassination. In December, Musharraf barely survived two assassination attempts. And the circumstances of those attempts had all the earmarks of being directed from elements within the highest echelons of the Pakistani military and intelligence service and even Musharraf's own staff. And as if Musharraf didn't already have enough problems, he has stated publicly that he intends to purge all the radical Islamists that riddle his officer corps and intelligence service, by than March of this new year.
U.S. forces have been stationed inside Pakistan for more than two years at 6 different airbases located through out the country. And contrary to what Pakistan says publicly, these U.S. forces are engaged in operations inside Pakistan with Musharraf's blessing.
Even though Pakistan was a critically important ally in getting the War on Terror started in Afghanistan, they have always been an "iffy" ally because they, themselves, were a notorious hotbed of terrorist activity. In early 2002, when al Qa'ida was pushed out of the Tora Bora mountains into Pakistan, it only elevated the problem for Musharraf. His only solution to avoid being overthrown and murdered by these Ismlamist terrorists, was to seek the aid of the United States.
And it is obviously in the best interests U.S. to help Musharraf avoid that coup that would leave Pakistan's entire nuclear stockpile directly in the hands of al Qa'ida.
The thread story about the Paki's getting Abdul Qadeer Khan to confess his role in the illegal distribution of nuclear materials, equipment and technology to other terrorist countries, helps both Musharraf as well as the United States accomplish their now common goals of ridding Pakistan of its terrorist base.
But this problem is far from over, nor is its outcome a foregone conclusion.
--Boot Hill
You answered your own question. They are trying to kill him now. There have been two reported assassination attempts and probably others. He either takes them on or waits until they take him out. Just as we can't placate al Qeada by making nice, Musharaf can't do anything to avert an assassination except to go on the offensive. It is literally a matter of life and death for him.