The post-September 11, 2001, volte face of President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan in joining the US as its frontline ally in its war against the Taliban and the Al Qaeda had three objectives---to safeguard the strategic nuclear and missile assets of Pakistan from any pre-emptive strike by the US due to fears that they might fall into the hands of the Al Qaeda and other international terrorist elements; to seek as a quid pro quo US activism on the Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) issue in the hope of achieving through collaboration with the US what he could not through Pakistani terrorist organisations on the ground; and to bill the US for his services in the form of increased economic and military assistance to revive the comatose economy and to revamp the Armed Forces.

His expectations have been only partly fulfilled. He, as an individual ruler, has been the greatest beneficiary of his opportunistic decision. His sins of commission and omission as a military dictator have been overlooked by the US and other countries of the West. References from Washington DC and other Western capitals to the need for strict adherence to the roadmap to restored democracy have become increasingly muted. His proclaimed intention to continue as the President for at least another five years, even if elections as promised are held in October next, has not been opposed by an US which has let itself be convinced that there is no alternative to an enduring Musharraf if its strategic objectives in the region are to be met and if the nuclear and missile assets of Pakistan are to be prevented from falling into the hands of terrorists still lurking in the region.

rest of the article is at http://www.saag.org/papers5/paper410.html

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