Crisis in Pakistan

The news that General Musharraf has imposed emergency rule, effectively martial law, in Pakistan is extremely worrying. Musharraf has done this despite a full court press from the West and the consequences are potentially disastrous. If the protests that will inevitably follow are put down with violence or if Benazir Bhutto, who is reportedly sitting in a plane at Karachi airport having flown back into the country, is arrested the situation could quickly escalate bringing Pakistan to the verge of being a failed state.