He'd accommodated the USA if he could. But the reality is once the US Army starts working on Taliban areas (20% of the country) the other 80%, along with the nukes, fall to the Pakistani mullahs (who raised and taught the Taliban to begin with.)
And I read what Mike said that it isn't an excuse. Well, this just betrays lack of political skill on Mike's part. He wants the whole problem solved, right now, or else! He can want all he wants, but those are the cards, and your choice of moves is limited. Musharraf is not a nice guy to be sure, but he is a very good politician who managed to keep the lid on that mad kettle for so many years and hardly killing anyone. This is why every country in the region supports him, openly or not - they have no choice. Mike threatening him just sounds silly and proves what many suspected about him.
He pardoned A.Q. Khan, the worst nuclear proliferator in history. He gave al-Qaida and the Taliban a safe haven in the tribal areas for nearly a year, and allowed them to grow stronger. And without Bhutto, he may not survive. He may have to flee the country at some point. Propping up a guy who won't survive doesn't make much sense, and we don't want a situation in Pakistan like post-Shah Iran. We need to be thinking two jumps ahead.
Well, this just betrays lack of political skill on Mike's part.
He's obviously a skilled politician, but he lacks foreign policy experience. It is definitely his weak point. It's a common problem for governors who run for president. Bush had the same problem during his first campaign.
Did ally Pakistan play role in 9-11?
1999. On Dec. 24, five Pakistani nationals armed with knives hijacked Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 from Katmandu to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Led by Sunny Ahmed Qazi, alias "Burger," the hijackers slashed the throat of one of the 178 passengers, a honeymooner, and forced pilots to open the cockpit door.Burger demanded the Indian government release three Pakistani terrorists from prison in exchange for the airline hostages. After an eight-day stand-off, New Delhi agreed to free Ahmed Omar Sayeed Sheikh among the three. Sheikh turns out to be one of Osama bin Laden's chief money men. About a year before the Sept. 11 attacks, Sheikh wired $100,000 from Pakistan to Atta from an account in the United Arab Emirates capital of Dubai. Sheikh was spotted in Islamabad at the time the money was transferred. The $100,000 covered the hijackers' flight-school tuition and airfare, as well as living expenses. Sheikh picked up an unspent residual of more than $25,000 from Atta and three other hijackers in Dubai right before the attacks, then fled back to Karachi, Pakistan.
According to accounts in both The Times of India and India Today, former ISI chief Lt. Gen. Mahmud Ahmad instructed Sheikh to send the $100,000 to Atta.
The Times says Ahmad lost his job only after India shared with the FBI evidence showing a link between the general and Sheikh's wiring of funds to Atta.