There are reports that the US ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, will resign as early as October. Why is this news? Because Khalilzad had taken it upon himself to advise Pakistan's Zardari--Benazir's widower--during all that confusion over Musharraf's impeachment and the successor to Musharraf. Turns out that he was working with Bhutto even back in 2006. Condi Rice's people are furious with Khalilzad. Naturally. In most parts of the world, locals do not appreciate any perception of foreign interference in their politics--more so when it happens at a critical state that Pakistan finds itself in. To top things, there have always been speculations that Khalilzad has plans to contend for Afghanistan's presidency--because Hamid Karzai has been so ineffective. In case you are wondering, well, Khalilzad is a naturalized American who was born in Afghanistan.
And, internally, Zardari is the leading candidate for Pakistan's presidency. But all is not well there. In addition to Sharif withdrawing from the government, the Financial Times reports that Zardari is not well--that the guy has severe psychiatric problems. He apparently "was diagnosed with a range of serious illnesses including dementia, major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder in a series of medical reports spanning more than two years." Great, make a mentally unwell guy in-charge of the nukes. Dr. Strangelove could not have devised a better plan! Of course, according to Zardari's people, he is fit as a fiddle.
Meanwhile, militants have stepped up their activities in Pakistan. The expansion of "SNAFU" is the approriate descriptor for where Pakistan is today.
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