A Bitter Rivalry Shatters Pakistan’s Ruling Coalition–New York Time headline
Vincenzo Kolchak asks and answers the question:
What’s the smallest number in the world?
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The number of people outside Bush’s inner circle who are surprised by
this story.
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(”I have this recurring image of Condi (looking very much at sea)
talking to her chief SW Asia adviser who just happens to be the
Disney cartoon character, Goofy, and he is looking confused at a copy
of this article in his hand and utters the word: “GAWRSH!”)
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August 26, 2008
By JANE PERLEZ
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s fledgling civilian government collapsed on Monday, as the leaders of the main two coalition parties turned their sights on each other, only a week after banding together to force the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf.
The coalition’s failure, after just five months of governing Pakistan, worsened the leadership crisis in this nuclear-armed nation at a time when it faces a serious threat from the growing strength of the Taliban in the northwestern parts of its territory.
Now the deepening rivalry between the party leaders — Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of the slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister himself — will play out in the coming elections for president.
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