Is Musharraf with us or against us?

Reading about Musharraf's decisions today, I find myself wondering if he's working with the US wishes, or beginning to strike out on his own?

Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, may decide to impose emergency rule because of deteriorating security conditions and the growing threat of violence by Islamic extremists, a senior government official in Islamabad said Wednesday.

Musharraf, meanwhile, abruptly canceled a long-planned visit to the Afghan capital, where he and Afghan President Hamid Karzai were to launch a four-day peace conference aimed at improving bilateral cooperation in the fight against Islamic extremism.

So, is emergency rule to fight terrorism or to put off elections? Is dodging the Taleban conference something, or is he just working domestic politics?

At this point, he can do pretty much anything he wants without US interference, so are these moves away?

Later: Musharraf backs down.

Embattled President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday decided against imposing a state of emergency in Pakistan...

Other sources close to the president said Musharraf's decision to reject the advice of political allies was based on his commitment to elections that are slated for early next year.

Because if Musharraf is committed to anything, it's elections.

Also, Reuters reported that the backdown came after a phone call from Condi Rice. Maybe this was an excercise by Musharraf to create political space by threatening a hard move to the right.