Last Sunday night, a powerful bomb here came within seconds of killing the military ruler of Pakistan, an impoverished, nuclear-armed country that sits near the epicenter of the American-led campaign against terrorism. Who would have succeeded the president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, and taken control of the country's dozens of nuclear bombs is unclear.

Analysts contend the use of C-4, along with the sophistication of the attack, suggests involvement by Al Qaeda.

"[The army is] the most powerful political force. It has really overwhelmed the state and society."