When Gen. Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution in Pakistan over the weekend, an advisor to Condoleezza Rice told a Washington Post reporter that he should look at the silver lining.
"Thank heavens for small favors," the advisor said, explaining that with Pakistan in crisis, "Iraq looks pretty good."
The State Department is slightly more on top of its game now. In an interview with reporters traveling with her, Rice said Sunday that she regrets the steps Musharraf is taking: "I'm disappointed in his decision, sure. I think his decision sets Pakistan back in the considerable progress it made toward democratic change."
Appearing on CNN this morning, former U.N. ambassador and Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson said: "You know, you're disappointed at a football game. You have to be stronger. And what I would do is, if I'm president, I would send Vice President Cheney, who is a buddy of Musharraf's, go to Pakistan and say to him, unless you seriously go after al-Qaida, unless you restore your constitution, bring back the Supreme Court and have elections in January, we're going to cut off your aid. I think it's that serious."
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