From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Pakistan and the Taliban.

Hello again, I'm Armin Al-Ni, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues, Americans care about most.

The bloody siege against

the Red Mosque and Islamabad is over, but there are ominous signs of the spread of Islamic

extremism in Pakistan. President Musharraf has promised to crack down on schools that preach

violence, but he allowed one to become an armed camp in the heart of the capital city.

On to the point, is the government too weak to

enforce its will, or does Musharraf need support from religious parties to stay in office? Is he a real

American ally in the war on terror, or will continue dissociation damage U.S. prestige and credibility?

On reporter's notebook later on, politics and public health in the Bush administration.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John

D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Hello again, Mormon Alany, back with To the Point. The bloody showdown at the Red Mosque in Islamabad

is evidence that Islamic extremists are increasing their power in Pakistan.

On To the Point, the Bush administration continues to support President Pervez Musharraf,

but is he a credible ally in the war on terror?

On reporters' notebook, the former Surgeon General of the United States accuses the Bush administration of political interference.

First this news update, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertov has created a furor today by saying he has a gut feeling that the U.S. could face a terror attack this summer.

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