Apparently, ?progress is being made? in the call for elections in Pakistan. Fears of an Emergency government are a thing of the past. The 1999 coup d?etat that brought down Benazir Bhutto and crowned General Pervez Musharraf the military and political leader of Pakistan may be sprouting its first seeds of true Democracy.

Or so it appears in Musharraf?s carefully pruned capital garden.

But, upon closer look, the talks sound more like concessions being made to a kidnapper awaiting his ransom. Musharraf kind of wants to keep his competition in exile. He?d kind of like to keep both his roles - President and the military end-all. And he?d really like to make sure he has the swaying influence on when, and whether, elections ever get held.

And the Pakistani public? I think after the continued political miming, they?re ripe for some kind of outlet ? maybe MTV Pakistan, or Sharia Night Live. Because this General is about as popular as Jimmy Carter right now. And wouldn?t you love to see his face masquerading on late-night television; rubber hairdo and mustache, conniving plastic grin and all? Or trouncing through the street, adorned by bank robbers and terrorists, alike?

Either way it?d be a whole lot more successful in getting the average Pakistani interested in driving change and democracy than the efforts of an already demonized President Bush trying to Rock the Vote in unfamiliar waters.