Musharraf faces impeachment

Pakistan's ruling coalition today formally announced moves to begin impeachment proceedings against the country's president, Pervez Musharraf.

I say good riddance to him. I hope they dispose of this man. Most likely he was involved in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Factions within the Pakistan intelligence service might have been behind the assassination of the country's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, sources within MI5 told Scotland on Sunday last night.

Of course he and his government have done little to stop Al-Qaida.

The US last month complained that "rotten" elements in the Pakistani intelligence service were aiding the Taliban. While the new civilian government tried to comply with US demands by bringing the intelligence service under its remit, the military and Musharraf blocked this.

Musharraf's advisers said he was prepared to "use his constitutional powers" to stop impeachment. Under powers he gave himself, Musharraf can dismiss the parliament - which should, in theory, be followed by fresh elections.

However impeachment is still uncertain.

The coalition may have the numbers required for impeachment, but it is tight. It would need a two-thirds majority in a joint sitting of both houses of parliament. The upper house, the senate, still has Musharraf supporters making up half its numbers. In the lower house, the coalition easily prevails.

Too bad that we won't see Bush and Cheney impeached.