As I had warned often in the past, the Bush Administration pursued a self-defeating policy in Pakistan when it forced General Parvez Musharaf to yield to the so-called forces of democracy headed by Benazir Bhutto. Her tragic death opened the door for her husband the notorious 10% man to become President of Pakistan. This man neither has the education not the stature to head a country in crisis, and the first thing he did was to appont a non-entity Mr Ghilani as PM overlooking the claims of Mr Fahim, a long time Benazir Bhutto loyalist. This Ghilani has done what all political non entities do: bite the hand that gave them the top job. Instead of finding a solution to the crisis created by Mr Nawaz Sharief's long march to Rawalpindi, Mr Ghilani teamed up with the Army chief General Kayani and forced the hand of Mr Zardai. This is only an army rule with a civillian face or front and the US has actually made thing far worse for itself by undermining the authority of Zardai. From now on Pakistan slide into annarcy cannot be stopped.

What is the solution? The NWF Province and SWAT are virtually in the hands of the Taliban and there is nothing short of civil war going on in that region and with Pakistan sliding into chaos the Taliban will be strengtnened. There are disturbing news from Chitral valley of the Hindu Kush range. It seems that in the twom parts of the world where Al;exander failed--Afghanistan and Babylonia-- the Us Administration is stuck. Unless the Pashtuns are encouraged to form their own independent state there will be no paece. The Taleban are essentially a Pastun force and once they have a Government to run they will be brought under the ambit of international law ans system. This ethnic group is divided between Pakistan and Afghanistan and once the Pashtuns like the Paselenians get their own independent state, all the difficulties in the region will stop. Peace can return only when the divided population is united under a Pashtun Republic. Pakistan will remain content with Punjab from where its military come from and Sind will become independent. This is the only solution.