Protest in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan --Protesters burned an effigy ofPresident Gen. Pervez Musharraf and demanded his resignation, as thousandsrallied across Pakistan during a court hearing Friday for a top judge removed bythe government.

Musharraf suspended Ifitkhar Mohammed Chaudhry from his Supreme Court postlast month, citing suspicions that he had abused his position. In one instance,he allegedly sought a promotion for his son.

Pakistan is a refugefor the Taliban and al-Qaeda, and have many supporters. While President  Musharrafis a "friend" of ours, he would  only hand over the lower rankingmembers of the groups because of the support they had within the country.

Thoughsupported by all Pakistan's main secular and religious opposition parties, thestreet protests have failed to attract the kind of crowds that could pose animmediate threat to Musharraf's rule, which began with a bloodless coup in 1999.

Musharraf, a key U.S. military ally, is expected to seek re-election foranother term as president from the outgoing assemblies and has given no signthat he will give up his army post -- a stance that opposition parties couldchallenge before the Supreme Court.

This isn't a good sign tobegin with, but the fact that the protests are supported by ALL Pakistan's main secular and religiousopposition parties, makes it even worse.