Pakistan and the anti-American Associated Press

"Pakistan's ruling party conceded defeat Tuesday after opposition parties routed allies of President Pervez Musharraf in parliamentary elections that could threaten the rule of America's close ally in the war on terror.

"...that could threaten the rule of America's close ally in the war on terror."  Give me a break.

The despicable Associated Press just never quits--never quits getting it WRONG and never quits putting out "news" with an AGENDA.

First, despite the despicable AP, it is not all about US (or about trying to suggest, as I assure you the first paragraph is trying to do, that this is a "defeat" for the Bush Administration).  It is, of course, the Bush Administration that encouraged Bhutto to go back to Pakistan--mainly because the President of Pakistan has NOT bee such a "close ally" in the War on Terror. 

The official policy of the Bush Administration is that a more democratic (and therefore stable) Pakistan, and one which more aggressively tried to control its border regions, would be a GOOD thing.  In that sense, the election could be regarded as a VICTORY for the Bush Administration (more importantly, for both Pakistan and the United States).  That, of course, depends upon whether the Bhutto party follows through on what was essentially her promise to be a BETTER ally of the U.S., and enemy of Islamic extremism, or takes the easy anti-American route (okay, they probably will not be quite sto anti-American as the despicable Associated Press, but sometimes even bin Laden himself cannot reach that "high" bar).

It is Pakistan, and its people, who need to chhoose a POSITIVE future.  This election could be a step in that direction, provided the results are accepted constructively as a step down the democratic road (and provided that the Bhutto party stays constructive, rather than take a turn down the extremist road).