A desperate dictator

Associated Press of Pakistan reports:

"We work well with President Musharraf, I am not apologizing for that, he has taken the country in this more moderate direction, he has also taken the country towards an election later this year - so we think that is the right direction," Boucher said in an interview to a private Pakistani television channel.

- Richard Boucher, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia

Meanwhile, Reporters san frontieres claims that Musharraf is a bigger press freedom predator than ever, and the Pakistan Government makes an 11th hour decision not to instigate an ordinance that would have increased its power to censor the media. The back down followed intense protests from the media and political parties.

Clearly Musharraf's the kind of moderate they like in the US.

On another front, negotiations for a not-so-secret power sharing arrangement between Musharraf and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto have stalled:

[Bhutto] had a change of heart, feeling there was little political mileage to be gained from an understanding with a "weak Musharraf" in the wake of the crisis generated by suspension of the chief justice.

Musharraf may be much weaker than first thought.