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.

[godzfan]

When is one of the U.N countries going to ask Bush to step down? Musharraf is just G.W.''s Mini Me.

[johnpatrick9]

Georgie porgie....your next.

[pirmin3]

Pot calling the kettle black. Too funny Georgie W.

[trrrorislamx]

the 1993 World Trade Center bombing,,, inside job

the 1995 bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed five U.S. military personnel,,, inside job

the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 and injured 200 U.S. military personnel,,, inside job

the 1998 bombing of U.S . embassies in Africa, which killed 224 and injured 5,000,,, inside job

the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 and injured 39 U.S. sailors,,, inside job

talk is no substitute for action,,,

kkklowntoon just gave us the same old tired speech and did nothing else,,,

"We will do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to find those who killed our sailors and hold them accountable."

yahhh right

In a moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing. Theodore Roosevelt

[trrrorislamx]

DEMONIC-RATS DO NOT WANT SECRET BALLOTS,,,

For some, right to secret ballot could be lost
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/shared-blogs/ajc/thinkingright/entries/2008/08/13/right_to_vote_in_privacy_could.html

NEVER VOTE DEMONIC-RAT AGAIN,,,

THEY ARE FOR COMMUNISM,,,

Howard Stern vows never to vote for Democrat again due to merger opposition: ''They''re for Communism''...
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2008/20080724152511.aspx

some people are slow learners,,,

must be the DEMONIC-RAT controlled public education/propoganda system,,,

[trrrorislamx]

FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM IS THE PROBLEM,,,

DEMONIC-RAT HUSSEIN IS NOT THE SOLUTION,,,

EXPOSE HUSSEIN
http://www.exposeobama.com/obamaislam.html

www.obamatruth.org

www.stop-obama.org

A Video Portrait Of Barack Hussein Obama
http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?RsrcID=2036

The Barack Obama Test
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/02/the_barack_obama_test.html

Obama-Odinga-Rezko-Ayers-Auchi-Saddam Hussein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIe4d9Nmg9k

Raila Odinga was also financially backed by Muammar al-Gaddafi. Raila Odinga is Obama''s cousin:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/717...

Why does Raila Odinga use Obama''s exact same campaign slogan: CHANGE....Vote for CHANGE: Look at his website:
http://www.raila07.com/


IMPEACH HUSSEIN NOW,,,

SIGN THE PETITION

Impeach, expel Barack Obama
http://obamaimpeachment.org

HUSSEIN IS NO COMMANDER IN CHIEF,,, lol

McCain Tops Obama in Commander-in-Chief Test; Stays Competitive on Iraq

Poll Finds 72 Percent of Americans Say McCain Would be Good Commander-in-Chief
http://abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/Politics/Story?id=5370538&page=1

Obama: Commander-in-(mis)chief?
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/imperium/2008/07/200872011345855233.html