Learning curve

What is the Bush administration going to do about Pakistan now? Any hopes for a return to democracy appear dashed after the Pakistan Supreme Court dismissed nearly all of the challenges to the questionable reelection of President Pervez Musharraf last month. Musharraf removed the justices who appeared to be about to rule that the election was invalid because he remains head of the armed forces, in violation of the country's Constitution, when he imposed emergency rule on Nov. 3 and suspended the Constitution. U.S. envoys have reportedly been urging Musharraf to end the emergency and permit free elections to Pakistan's legislature in January. But if Musharraf is determined to remain dictator of our nuclear-armed Asian ally, and keep opposition leaders locked up for protesting the emergency declaration, should the U.S. continue to back him? Reuters reported today that a final challenge to the election is to be heard by the court on Thursday.