Pakistan: Nuclear Weapons and a Presidential Struggle

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari late on Nov. 27 handed over control of the country's nuclear arsenal to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The move is more about the president's political survival than the South Asian nation's nuclear weapons. Zardari's efforts are unlikely to bear fruit and the potential political instability could have grave implications for Islamabad's counter-insurgency efforts against jihadists and Washington's plans for the region.