In a scathing editorial, the Washington Post has castigated the lack of progress in the war of terror because Pakistan wants to be “counted as a U.S. ally while avoiding an all-out campaign against the Islamic extremists in his country.” Labeling Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf as a “meretricious military ruler,” the editorial says that he “has never directed his forces against the Pashtun Taliban militants who use Pakistan as a base to wage war against American and Afghan forces across the border.” It further said that he “has never dismantled the Islamic extremist groups that carry out terrorist attacks against India.” It also pointed out that Musharraf “has pardoned and protected the greatest criminal proliferator of nuclear weapons technology in history, A.Q. Khan, who aided Libya, North Korea and Iran.” Responding to the Pakistan’s protest of CIA bombing of Damadola to kill al Qaeda operatives, it advises the US Administration to “ignore” such protests. The paper encouraged US President George Bush to “take every available measure to eliminate the al Qaeda and Taliban operations in Pakistan. If targets can be located, they should be attacked -- with or without Gen. Musharraf's cooperation.”