Partly Facetious: a bravado that backfired

"The donkey allowance needs to go."
"Look the Prime Minister and his 80 strong delegation members - some of them family members - were state guests of the Saudi king and therefore there is no reason to be sarcastic. Donkey allowance indeed!"
"He took 80 people with him!"
"Yes, and he chartered a plane for the purpose, so whether he took one or 80 doesn't matter, the cost would have been the same."
"Was it a successful trip?"
"Very successful, I mean we don't have any firm figures of support from the Saudis that can be used to plug the budget deficit but there was every indication that the Saudis would help us."
"Is help contingent on anything?"
"Well, there was speculation that Musharraf was calling the Saudis and then of course he held that press conference where a select few journalists were invited."
"Those he considered still on his side I suppose."
"I guess but as has been the hallmark of Musharraf post 12 May last year his bravado backfired. Why don't his advisors advise him better? No one out there wants him to stay. Not the politicians, not even his own Lota politicians, not the army as I am sure he has become an embarrassment to that institution, and certainly not the people."
"He says he will go if he is impeached."
"He said he will go if the Lota Party lost, he said he will go if the people want him out, he said he will go..."
"OK I get the picture."
"But the donkey allowance..."
"Hey, I wasn't referring to foreign trips by the elite. I was actually referring to demands by the patwaris who incidentally continue to get Rs 15 per month as donkey allowance."
"So the patwaris want more?"
"Yes."
"But the corruption in that system is forcing the government to change it and computerise the system right."
"Oh I see, so the donkey allowance may not need to be replaced."
"Yes."
"Sounds like Zardari's plan for Musharraf's exit."
"Indeed but don't forget the patwaris are here as is Musharraf."