Pakistan's newly appointed army chief General Raheel Sharif attends the change of command ceremony at army headquarters in Rawalpindi (REUTERS/Mian Khursheed).
Opinion
The New Head of Pakistan’s Army Holds the Country’s Most Important Job
November 30, 2013, Bruce Riedel
Bruce Riedel examines Pakistani General Raheel Sharif's appointment to chief of Army Staff, a position that exerts direct control over Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and terrorist affiliates, and is also the traditional stepping stone to lead Pakistan's military dictatorship. Sharif's new posting is unlikely to shift the direction of Pakistan's foreign policy, Riedel explains.