Mr. Sharif spoke to thousands of party supporters on Monday at a medical center in Raiwind. Zackary Canepari for The New York TimesU.S. Weighs Sharif as Possible Partner -- New York Times
LAHORE, Pakistan — The opposition leader, Nawaz Sharif, sealed his place as the most popular politician in Pakistan this month when he defied his house detention and led a triumphant protest that forced the government to restore the country’s chief justice.
Now, as the Obama administration completes its review of strategy toward the region this week, his sudden ascent has raised an urgent question: Can Mr. Sharif, 59, a populist politician close to Islamic parties, be a reliable partner? Or will he use his popular support to blunt the military’s already fitful campaign against the insurgency of the Taliban and Al Qaeda?
A former two-time prime minister, Mr. Sharif once pressed for Islamic law for Pakistan, tested a nuclear bomb and was accused by his opponents of undemocratic behavior during his tenure in the late 1990s.
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My Comment: If the U.S. decides to form an alliance with him .... this will be proof that the U.S. is desperate .... something that everyone in the region will perceive very quickly.