Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Steps Down as Army Chief

[Fredda Weinberg]

Source: NY Times

Breaking News 1:04 AM ET

No link yet.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. Bloomberg - Musharraf Quits Pakistan Army; Kayani Takes Over (Update2)

. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's ruler since seizing power in a 1999 military coup, stepped down as army chief, resisting opposition calls to also quit as president.

Musharraf, 64, handed over responsibility for the army to Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, 52, former chief of Pakistan's spy agency, at a ceremony in Rawalpindi today. Kayani was a military aide to opposition leader Benazir Bhutto when she was prime minister in the 1980s.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=azgRisX14nfw&refer=home

[bemildred]

2. So, how long do you give him Fredda?

A week, a month, a year?

[Fredda Weinberg]

3. I affirm the principle of free will, but I'm heartened by the ancient

cultures involved, which remain mostly intact despite the colonial history. The lawyers demonstrated an exemplary resolve and returning Sharif ... this development has been wholly positive no far. No violence, no army opposition - we may yet see enlightened times.

So I predict a brokered arrangment - the kind the Israelis turn to when they need internal unity. It doesn't conform to our legal notion of democracy but tribal cultures have more experience with representative government than we do.

How long will Musharraf last? I would predict he'll die in his sleep in his own bed, retired from political life or planning to do so. But I haven't heard Sharif's reponse - so far, in interviews, he's sounded reasonable.

[bemildred]

4. That would be good.

Tribal life has deeper roots than democracy in the human psyche. But then human ambition goes back a long way too. I think much depends on the new head of the military, who seems little known out here in TV land. One thinks of Putin before he rose to power, though that may be a bad comparison as to the particulars of their personalities. But I can agree that a brokered arrangement would seem best, and I suppose we will know before too long what the chances are for that.

[Fredda Weinberg]

5. The omens are good. According to the NYT updated article:

Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, 55, the vice chief of army staff, becomes the Chief of Army Staff, replacing Mr. Musharraf. General Kayani — the former head of the InterServices Intelligence and a graduate of the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas — has played a prominent role in cooperating with the United States in the fight against terrorism in Pakistan and is expected to continue that policy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/29/world/asia/29pakistan.html?hp

[bemildred]

6. Well, Leavenworth is a pretty good school.

Or at least it was when I knew about it, which has been a while now.

But power changes people, some of them anyway. I've read elsewhere various speculations about what he would do when he got command, but that is all it was, speculation. Like Putin, nobody knows much about him except that he has been a good soldier up to now.

But the other question is how long will the other interested parties be satisfied to leave Musharraf in charge? That would seem to depend a good deal on how satisfied they are with whatever sort of deal is made, and how long they remain satisfied. I would expect attempts to shuffle him off into retirement at some early date, along the lines you suggest, perhaps.

[Fredda Weinberg]

7. I've got no love for Musharraf, but it would be nice to set a new trend

in the region.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

8. CNN Link

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/28/pakistan.musharraf/index.html



ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf stepped down as the country's military leader Wednesday, the day before he was to be sworn in for a third presidential term -- as a civilian. "This army is my life. This army is my passion. I have loved this army," an emotional Musharraf said in a farewell ceremony to the army at its HQ in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad. "From tomorrow morning, this relationship will change, and I will be no more in uniform."

Clearly moved, Musharraf added that it was sad for him to leave, but that "this is the way of life, and life has to go on." During the ceremony he reviewed ranks of troops while a band played "Auld Lang Syne" in the background.

His retirement as general caps a 46-year career in the nation's armed forces and ends eight years of military rule.

The president has been under pressure to step down as military leader and end emergency rule, under which critics say he has consolidated power. During the past two days, he has made farewell visits to the army, air force and navy headquarters.

[Akoto]

9. Musharraf Retires as Pakistan Army Chief

Source: Associated Press

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) -- Blinking back tears, Pervez Musharraf stepped down as Pakistan's military commander Wednesday, fulfilling a key opposition demand a day before he was to be sworn in as civilian president.

Key opposition leader Benazir Bhutto welcomed the belated step, but she said her party had yet to accept him as head of state.

Britain, which shares the United States' deep concern about Islamic terrorism emanating from Pakistan, said Musharraf's move was "an important part" of his plan to restore constitutional order.

"We understand the threat to Pakistan's peace and security, but I have urged President Musharraf to use the normal democratic process to respond," Prime Minister Gordon Brown said.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PAKISTAN?SITE=VTBEN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[IronLionZion]

10. Yahoo link

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071128/ap_on_re_as/pakistan_musharraf_s_record;_ylt=AvT4wnla0RE1dDsBJctmC_Cs0NUE

tiny:
http://tinyurl.com/2bmqog

preview:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/2bmqog

[Alexander]

11. Like that changes anything.

He already packed the army with his own flunkies, not to mention the Supreme Court.

Of course he'll step down as army chief. He's already got complete loyalty from the army and doesn't need to personally command it any more.

Changes nothing. I wonder if Sharif will return to power any time soon.