The trouble with Pakistan

As we watch the events spin out of control in Pakistan, we should keep one factor in mind - Pakistan is a nuclear-armed country.

The odds of one of their dozens of nuclear weapons falling into the wrong hands are remote. The military appears to have firm control of their bombs. But if the government falls, if the country destabilizes - and these are fairly big ifs - and if Islamic extremists come to power in that country, the repercussions could be very bad. That could put nuclear weapons into the hands of al-Qaida.

Again, the chances of this are remote. The country is troubled and reeling from days of riots that followed in the wake of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. However, Pakistan also has a large population of moderate Islamists who yearn for freedom and democracy. This may be key to stabilizing the country.

However, the violence and the possible derailment of the elections could have a devastating effect on the spirit of these people. Desperate situations can create desperate people, and put dangerous people into power.