Pervez Musharaff is pulling the dictatorial strings once again, sending Pakistan into a tailspin. While you never root for the anti-Democracy thug, you always have to look at the alternative. In World War II, we had full knowledge of Stalin's evil, but would we rather side with him than Hitler? Absolutely. History proved us right. The only way anyone can sympathize with Musharaff's actions is to consider the alternative.

Stanley Kurtz analyzes the alternatives, and the possibilities, of what can happen in Pakistan. In his portion entitled coup again:

The danger is that varying shades of Islamist opinion in all sectors of society will coalesce. Zia ul Haq who, like Musharraf, once ruled Pakistan militarily for years, was himself an Islamist sympathizer. Zia infused the army with Islamism, and although his followers no longer dominate there, some retired officers still wait on the sidelines for an Islamist resurgence. Musharraf’s generation of officers is secular and pro-American, yet we know next to nothing about the younger generation of military officers. Might they have latent Islamist sympathies? Pakistan’s military takes most of its recruits from Punjab, but also from the Pashtun northwest (that is, from tribal areas now controlled by the Taliban). And we know that some military deserters and retired soldiers have been signing up to fight with the Taliban. If a nationwide Islamist assault awakes a sleeping giant of pro-sharia sentiment in Pakistan’s heartland, and also splits the army, the resulting chaos could put an Islamist state — or at least a nuclear bomb or two — within Osama’s reach.

Is it unrealistic to say that there are enough jihadist radicals in Pakistan to take over? Absolutely not. The Taliban was never just an Afghan problem. The Pashtun region has long been a hotbed of terrorist activity, in both countries. Musharaff didn't even try to combat it effectively, because he feared revolt. Now he's in a position of weakness, trying to assert power he may or may not truly have. I'd say, better the dictator than the jihadis.