Two assassination attempts last month against Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf have the Bush administration beginning to ponder the unthinkable — a leadership vacuum in a nuclear nation in one of the world’s most dangerous regions.
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Although State Department officials continue to praise Musharraf as an important ally in the war against terrorism, they acknowledge that the attempts on his life may make him more cautious about cracking down on — and further antagonizing — Islamic militants, possibly including reconstituted al-Qaeda forces in western Pakistan. Pakistan-based Islamic extremists are said to be responsible for the two attacks, the latest of which came on Dec. 25. Fifteen people died when two suicide bombers attacked Musharraf’s convoy.
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Asked about the attacks, President Bush said Thursday that he had spoken to Musharraf. He said the Pakistani leader "sounded confident, and therefore, I feel confident about his security situation. |