US appreciates Mush's efforts in fighting terrorism

US BIDS FAREWELL: In a statement, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice thanked the outgoing President Musharraf for his support.

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Washington: After Pervez Musharraf stepped down as Pakistan’s President, people celebrated his exit and critics said that he was pushing America’s agenda in the country but Washington’s reaction to his exit was brief.

For the last eight years Musharraf was America's most important ally in the war on terror. But the US administration seems to have distanced itself from him now. In a statement, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice simply thanked the outgoing President for his support.

"President Musharraf has been a friend to the United States and one of the world's most committed partners in the war against terrorism. For this, he has our deep gratitude,” she said.

But it appears the administration has been trying to distance itself from the outgoing president. Reacting to the possibility of a resignation, last week, administration officials said the impeachment was an internal matter for the coalition government to decide. And on Sunday Rice dismissed any possibility of the US offering Musharraf asylum.

However, there is little doubt that Musharraf's resignation signals the end of a long and important alliance with the U.S. The 65-year-old General was the first Muslim leader to declare allegiance to the US after the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Lately the US administration was unhappy with what it calls Musharraf's inability to confront al-Qaeda’s activity on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Signs of a rift between Musharraf's alliance with the U.S. were visible last month when Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officials confronted the Pakistani government with evidence that the ISI had assisted in a suicide bombing attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul.

With Musharraf gone, Washington will watch closely as Pakistan prepares for an important transition. For now the US is expected to accept Musharraf's exit quietly.