Breaking: Musharraf agrees to disrobe, have erections

Firedoglake made this witty observation

The Preznint seems to have arrived at a fairly novel diplomatic solution to the mess in Pakistan.

   "I just spoke to President Musharraf before I came here, and my message was very plain, very easy to understand. And that is: The United States wants you to have the elections as scheduled and take your uniform off," Mr Bush said.

Damn, George. Aren’t you going to ask him out to dinner first?

Now, it seems, Musharraf has agreed to this tryst, and to allow some sort of election before Feb. 15.

Gen. Pervez Musharraf told his national security council today that parliamentary elections would be held before Feb. 15 and that he would give up his military uniform before taking the oath of office for his new term as president of Pakistan.

Oh, did I spell elections wrong?

I'm sure it has nothing to do with the untraceable millions of greenbacks unloaded on pallets every month. And he did say it with a wink (rumor only).

As he made the statement, his security forces clamped down hard on the main opposition party of Benazir Bhutto, arresting as many as 500 party members last night and today, party workers and diplomats said. The arrests appeared to be an attempt to thwart a protest rally planned by Ms. Bhutto for Friday, the party workers and diplomats said.

General Musharraf, the president, did not set a specific date for parliamentary elections, and it was unclear whether the new timetable would satisfy opposition parties and Western governments, which have been demanding bluntly that he end emergency rule, step down from his post as head of the army and allow elections to go ahead as planned. The elections had been scheduled for Jan. 15.

So we're supposed to believe that all this mayhem is being committed just to  put off the elections for less than one month?

Ah, yes, ever since Florida in 2000, George W. Bush loves "elections." Just a few dirty tricks, a little fixing here and there, a friendly secretary of state, maybe a judge or two...and you're good to do whatever you want for 4 more years. I'm sure he told the General how to make "elections" work.

Really, did I misspell elections somewhere?