Partly Facetious: what would have happened if...

"So who will participate in the elections?"
"BB has said she will."
"Categorically?"
"BB always makes categorical statements."
"Ah yes, the mark of a true dictator."
"I sometimes wonder what would have happened to this country if she had joined the armed forces."
"Well, she wouldn't have been a Yahya."
"No, but she could have been a Zia."
"In terms of exercise of power, but maybe she would not have supported his Afghan policy or what he did to create ethnicity in Sindh."
"I think she may not have sided with the same people..."
"Ah yes, and she couldn't have been a Musharraf."
"I disagree there. Musharraf has made mistakes post 9 March with the objective of retaining his hold on power, but then BB's deal with Musharraf which she alleges he in effect has reneged on was also a product of self-interest and not that of the party or the country."
"What about Nawaz Sharif? Would he have done anything differently if he was in the army?"
"He may not have made it to the post of COAS."
"Don't be facetious."
"Well, he may not have."
"A COAS is chosen for his loyalty to the government of the day not for any other reason."
"Well, in that case Nawaz Sharif may have been chosen after all his loyalty to Zia was unquestioned if you recall."
"Right, but what if Maulana Fazlur Rehman was in the army?"
"I think he wouldn't have gone beyond Colonel. And Imran would have been rejected by the army on the grounds that his hair was too long and his outside interests..."
"You are being facetious today."