The case for standing by Musharraf.  Opinions about events
beyond our borders. Nov. 5 2007 7:46 PM  Mixed Messages  The
case for standing by Musharraf.  Pakistani President Pervez
Musharraf. Click image to expand. Pakistani President Pervez
Musharraf   Over the weekend, Pakistani President Pervez
Musharraf declared a state of emergency, arresting thousands of
opposition figures, dismissing large numbers from the judiciary,
and closing media outlets. While domestic and international
critics accuse Musharraf of trying to consolidate his near-
absolute power, the Pakistani leader explains that he is trying
to stanch the violence that has claimed more than 700 Pakistani
lives since July, including more than 130 killed last month at a
Karachi rally marking the homecoming of former Prime Minister
Benazir Bhutto.  Most observers believe that Islamists are
responsible for the violence—in other words, the people
Washington pressured Musharraf to take on after 9/11. Since
2001, the administration has delivered almost $1