White House Pushing Musharraf To Step Down

Top-Level Sources Say D.C. Seeking Smooth Transition To Maintain Close Ties

(CBS)  Written for CBSNews.com by Farhan Bokhari, reporting from Islamabad.

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The Bush administration has quietly urged embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to step down voluntarily rather than prolong an ongoing political crisis and face impeachment, high-ranking Pakistani government officials and Western diplomats tell CBS News.

"U.S. officials have made it known to the president that it is best for him to step down and end this crisis," said one senior Pakistani government official familiar with messages conveyed to Musharraf from Washington during the last week.

Leaders of a newly-elected coalition government announced plans last Thursday to impeach Musharraf.

Speaking to CBS News on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information, the Pakistani official said the U.S. was keen to see an orderly transition of power, presenting Washington with the opportunity to build close ties with Musharraf's successor.

The Bush administration's interest in maintaining close relations with Pakistan is built around the desire to carry forward cooperation in the war against Islamic extremism.

Pakistan, under Musharraf's leadership, has deployed as many as 150,000 military and paramilitary soldiers along its border with Afghanistan in support of the U.S. and NATO led military operations in that country.

The president has worked closely with the Bush administration since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which prompted President Bush to invade Afghanistan and topple the Taliban government. The attacks also prompted Pakistan to turn its back on Afghanistan's deposed, hard-line Islamic rulers and become a U.S. ally.

Officials at Musharraf's presidential residence in Rawalpindi, Pakistan's primary military garrison city and a suburb of the capital Islamabad, have remained quiet over reports the president is considering a voluntary departure from office.

However, Western diplomats say the latest onslaught by ruling politicians seeking Musharraf's impeachment has presented the president with an insurmountable political challenge.

The ruling party in the new coalition says it has the support of more than two-thirds of Pakistan's parliament - enough to make the impeachment move successful if it were to come to a vote.

Storm clouds are rapidly gathering over Musharraf's presidency just more than a year after he fired Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary, the chief justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court, unleashing nationwide protests by lawyers, political activists and members of the civil society.

However, the greatest setback to his rule came in February this year when his handpicked politicians were defeated in parliamentary elections, leaving a coalition of opposition parties to form the new government.

The ruling coalition which has announced its intention to impeach Musharraf consists of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of slain Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

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Farhan Bokhari has been covering Southeast Asia for several large European news organizations for 16 years. Based in Islamabad, he focuses his coverage on politics and security issues surrounding the war against terrorism.

[deacon20081]

Bush to Musharif......Ok take the cash we gave you and head to Dubai...we will see you there in a few months.

[realpatriot1]

ozonmojo,

You prtefer the General who cam to power in a coup over the democraticaly elected government? So much for bringing democracy to the mideast.

Al Quaeda is already running rampant because of Mushariff. The ISI and army are stinking with Al Quaeda allies and Mushariff is their front man.

[liberalme]

Bush should take his own advice. It would be fun to put the spotlight on President Cheney for 4 months.

Posted by downtowner97 at 10:42 AM

speaking of Cheney--where has the 5 deferrment coward been? Haven''t heard much from him--perhaps he and Rove are helping McCain with adds against Obama.

[leftyintexas]

What''s DUMBYA gonna do, attack the Arctic Circle, if Musharraf doesn''t comply?

[ozonmojo]

It is egregious for the U.S to get rid of Musharraf at this stage.The so-called democratic government of Zardari and Sharif is a pathetic apology for a government.If Musharraf goes,Pakistan will be a terrible place for the U.S and Afghanistan as the Taliban will be in fullplay in all its ferocity.This is yet another clear instance of democracy being totally unsuitable for a Muslim country.

[haoli25]

He doesn''t need to ''step down''. He needs to drop through the trapdoor like his puppeteers should.

[downtowner97]

Bush should take his own advice. It would be fun to put the spotlight on President Cheney for 4 months.

[lochlan-2009]

"White House Pushing Musharraf To Step Down
Top-Level Sources Say D.C. Seeking Smooth Transition To Maintain Close Ties"

Anything, just don''t mess up our pipeline to India. These Caspian Sea pipelines seem to be the only thing this administration has thought about since they stole the presidency eight years ago and used a, it seems to convenient, terrorist attack to go into these countries for big oil and war profiteers.

[wardoglrs]

I know we over threw there goverment and i know we put Musharraf in there but i got another one i want to try out. This next one will do as its told.

[babooph]

I guess there must be another stooge,bribed & ready.