Our Man In Islamabad

Let's review: A military dictator tightens the screws on his country, imposing martial law. He says it's about crushing Islamist extremism. He gets Washington's support. Those he proceeds to round up are such dangerous types as Supreme Court Justices, lawyers, human rights workers, and intellectuals generally. Conspicuously absent, any round up of Islamist extremists. The mainstream media, and for the most part the blogosphere, concludes, OK, this is how a coup within a coup happens. What about stability vs. democracy, blah, blah, blah. To me — knowing next to nothing about Pakistan — there's still an interesting dog that doesn't bark question: Could it be that Islamist extremists haven't been rounded up because, in fact, they've so thoroughly penetrated Musharraf's government that they're pretty much calling the shots? Dunno, just asking... And while I'm wondering about Pervez Musharraf, I can't help but think what the Tyrant's pet name for him must be...