A sub-standard leadership

With economy in doldrums, law and order in a bad shape, terrorism a standing threat, with institutions losing credibility and the plight of the common man worsening by the day, do we have the leadership which can cope with the daunting problems.
All the mentioned problems are essentially internal. There, of course, are the external factors as well and menacing ones at that. The US threat to take to military action in Pakistan is no longer a matter of speculation. What has happened so far at Damadola, Bajaur and other places was just an 'appetiser'.
The main course has yet to come. Are we sovereign enough and strong enough to ward off the attack on our territorial integrity? If we go by what the authorities in USA and India have been saying and doing, we are neither strong nor independent enough to be taken seriously.
President Bush approved a new strategy in July 2008 permitting American military to resort to direct action inside Pakistan. This was duly conveyed to the Pakistan government, by the US Chief of the Joint Staff Admiral Michael Mullen and confirmed by Defence Secretary Robert Gates in his statement made before a Senate committee.
Mr Zardari had raised the point in his meeting with Bush who merely noted the formers' concern. The answer came soon after, in the defence secretary's categorical assertion that international law permitted US forces to operate in Pakistan. There has been little by way of rebuttal. Gilani, Qureshi and Zardari trio, keeps muttering the sovereignty mantra to impress the hapless Pakistani people. The meaningful reaction came from General Kayani and the DG ISPR. They warned the Americans to desist from further operations as there could be retaliatory action. A demonstration of it was seen when NATO helicopters were fired upon.
An interesting variation on the theme came from the former Foreign Minister Kasuri who when closely questioned in a TV talk show, reluctantly conceded that not only during his time Pakistan formally allowed American surveillance aircraft to fly in parts of Pakistan but also, to some extent, military operations inside Pakistan territory too had been conceded. This brings up the urgent need for the government to find out what further concessions have been granted, what facilities provided and under what conditions. These need to be known and debated in the Parliament. Why is the PPP leadership shy of bringing the vital issue of US-Pakistan relations to the floor of the Parliament?
Zardari left to himself may not find it convenient to do so, beholden as he is to General (retired) Musharraf and bound as generally considered, he is, to assurances given to Washington which brokered the deal for PPP's return to power. Mr Zardari's so-called "private" visit to USA has left little doubt that he is willing to go out of the way to ingratiate himself with the American leadership. One may ignore his indiscretions while meeting Sarah Palin in New York (something widely resented by women in Pakistan - Tahira Abdullah saying it was a "sexist" remark and Asma Jehangir calling it "flirtish").