Most Dangerous Trouble Spot In The World Update

Pervez Musharraf gave up his uniform today, setting the stage to become a civilian President. But if the country is still under martial law, what is the meaning of "civilian President"? And if a handpicked Musharraf loyalist runs the Army, is the government really all that separate?

Meanwhile, opposition leader Nawaz Sharif is back, and he doesn't sound too thrilled with the prospect of serving under Musharraf:

Mr. Sharif, a former prime minister who was tossed out of power by General Musharraf in a 1999 coup, condemned his old nemesis for imposing emergency rule on Nov. 3. He said he would not serve as prime minister under a Musharraf presidency, demanded an end to the state of emergency and called for the reinstatement of fired Supreme Court justices.

Such a forceful stand contrasts in many respects to Mr. Sharif’s own time as prime minister. He is best remembered here and in Washington as the leader who brought the world a nuclear Pakistan, flirted with war with India and forged strong ties with religious conservatives. His tenure was marred by charges of rampant corruption and by confrontations with the courts and the media as well.

Sharif is a more religious leader, in contrast to the secular Benazir Bhutto. But neither of them are publicly agreeing to serve under Musharraf. Behind the scenes and through back channels, they may be fighting one another to make a deal. The idea that you can have a legitimate election with the judiciary in jail, opposition rallies broken up and the Constitution suspended is lunacy. I think both of them are prepared to either grudgingly serve in the government or cry fraud when they lose. Either way, the end result will still leave a fairly powerful opposition on the streets, with Islamists lurking in the background willing to lend a hand.

UPDATE: Funny:

Pervez Musharraf has stepped down as head of the Pakistani army. Now he's merely a civilian dictator.