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thanks to General Musharraf’s brilliant strategy of claiming to be an ally of the US, while in practice supporting and sustaining the operation of the terrorist groups.

Using the fear of his being overthrown and the nukes falling into islamists hands, he has stymied the US by saying he's cooperating while providing a hideaway for the jihadis. He claims he doesn't know where they are. Maybe he personally doesn't, but his army certainly does and he commands the army. Forestalling action by the US against alqaeda in Pakistan itself is the first consequence.

Bowing to your greater knowledge and expertise in this area, you can, no doubt, explain to me what options exist to Musharraf, and why they would each be an improvement. I would also enjoy your insights as to whether you prefer Pakistan as a democracy, or as a military dictatorship.

I read somewhere (groan, maybe it was in DEBKA) that the US troops/CIA in Pakistan have plans to sieze Pakistan's nuclear weapons in the event they try to use them. How difficult or possible is this?

Also, aside from punitive raids against terrorism into Kashmir, would it really be possible or beneficial for India to try to destroy Pakistan? Is it possible that India might start out with a punitive raid but have a more far-reaching campaign in its back pocket if things get really hairy?

If India and Pakistan go into a nuclear conflict, and lose 20 million per side, does that really change their relationship to the United States that much? Pakistan can't blame us because we didn't start or create India's enmity for them. India can't blame us because we didn't support the Pakistani nuclear program.

If nuclear war occurs, and the market goes down 20%, I'm probably going to be in there buying with both fists. Heck, I might even buy one of the India stock funds like the India Fund or the India Growth Fund. I can't buy the Pakistan Investment Fund anymore, it was liquidated.