Pakistan: Collapsing?

He's a scumbag, but he had been helpful in the WOT.

But Musharrat is beginning to lose control to the AlQuaeda gang. That will have repercussions; remember that Pakistan has nukes.

On Friday, the Telegraph published a distressing story that my intelligence sources have confirmed. Pakistan's descent into chaos (see my coverage of the government's surrender of the Waziristan region) is apparently continuing apace, with the latest incident being the release of 2,500 foreign fighters linked to the Taliban and al-Qaeda who were "detained by Pakistan after fleeing the battleground in Afghanistan." My intelligence sources indicate that this is a "done deal," as the prisoners were released early Friday morning.

...My intelligence sources indicate that this latest incident further demonstrates the weakness of Musharraf's government. Several of the released prisoners were reportedly linked to past assassination plots against Musharraf, so letting them go free is unlikely to buy the Pakistani president the security that he apparently desires. He is "running scared" according to my sources, and is putting very little thought into the various concessions that he's making to militant factions.

Another little item on GWB's worry-bead collection.