Bush Urges Musharraf to Relent

President Bush today spoke to Pervez Musharraf for the first time since the declaration of emergency rule and urged the Pakistani leader to quit his military post and hold elections promptly, Reuters reports. "I had a very frank discussion with him," Bush said. The move comes as Benazir Bhutto increased pressure on Musharraf by moving ahead with plans for a massive public protest unless he acts by Friday.

"You need to take off your uniform," Bush told Musharraf. "You can't be president and head of the military at the same time." Protests continued in the streets, meanwhile, as police beat and tear-gassed supporters of Bhutto. Pakistani government officials have predicted a return to normalcy within three weeks, but Musharraf has made no such promises himself. (More Pakistan stories.)