Pakistan President Musharraf visited the United States where he was promised three billion dollars in aid. In return, Musharraf will try and crack down on the Islamic radicals supporting terror operations in Indian occupied Kashmir. These operations are very popular within Pakistan, and at one time Musharraf supported them as well. But it's now apparent that the Islamic radicals operating in Kashmir (from bases right across the border in Pakistan) have connections with al Qaeda and Islamic radicals who promote an Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Islamic radicalism is popular in Pakistan because nothing else has worked to alleviate the poverty and corruption in Pakistan. The unpopularity of an Islamic republic in Afghanistan and Iran has caused some Pakistanis to question the Islamic Republic concept, but the majority of Pakistanis are still willing to consider giving it a try.
Pakistan has arrested over 500 al Qaeda suspects so far, and al Qaeda members continue to be actively sought in the countryside and in the cities.
Since last weekend, two victims of rebel violence in Kashmir appeared to have been killed by lethal injection. It is thought that this is a response to the bad publicity the rebels are receiving for their practice of lining up civilians and shooting them, or slitting throats. The rebels attack non-Moslem civilians in an effort to get all non-Moslems to leave Kashmir.