The United States praised President Pervez Musharraf as a committed partner against terrorism and pledged after his resignation on Monday to keep a good relationship with the new government and fight extremism together. The White House said President George W. Bush looked forward to working with Pakistan on the economic, political and security challenges it faces.
"President Bush appreciates President Musharraf's efforts in the democratic transition of Pakistan as well as his commitment to fighting al Qaeda and extremist groups," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in Texas, where Bush is at his ranch.
Musharraf resigned on Monday to avoid impeachment charges nearly nine years after taking office in a coup. He was an important ally for Washington in the US-declared "war on terror" and Pakistan received billions of dollars in US counterterrorism aid during his government. "We're confident that we will maintain a good relationship with the government of Pakistan," Johndroe said.
But US officials have recently voiced frustration with Pakistan's efforts as the Taliban and al Qaeda regrouped in its remote tribal areas, where some American officials and analysts say al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is hiding.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice praised Musharraf for having made the "critical choice" to join the battle against al Qaeda, the Taliban and other extremists.
"For this, he has our deep gratitude," she said. US presidential candidates hoping to succeed Bush into the White House after November elections also weighed in and said Musharraf stepping down should bring more political stability to Pakistan. "US policy must focus on assuring that all elements of Pakistan's government are resolute in shutting down the safe havens for al Qaeda and the Taliban," Democrat Barack Obama said.
NO ASYLUM TALKS: His Republican rival, John McCain, said: "Pakistan is a critical theater in countering the threat of al Qaeda and violent Islamic extremism, and I look forward to the government increasing its future co-operation."
Speculation Musharraf would resign had mounted since Pakistan's fractious coalition government, led by the party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, said this month it planned to impeach him. Asked how Washington could now do without him, State Department spokesman Robert Wood said, "The war against extremism is bigger than any one person."
Bush has not spoken with Musharraf since his resignation was announced, and the United States was not involved in any asylum discussions with the Pakistani leader, Johndroe said. Some concerns of Pakistan's coalition government complement US priorities, said Teresita Schaffer, director of the South Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
She said both former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari wanted to get Pakistan's domestic insurgency under control. "That is their top priority," Schaffer said. "For the US, arguably the top priority is border control between Pakistan and Afghanistan. But these two go together," she said. Schaffer also said the coalition government had the support of the army, "or probably Musharraf wouldn't have resigned."
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