US Deputy Secretary of State John Negrop

US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte (R) answers a question during a joint press conference with Pakistani foreign secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan (L) at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, 12 September 2007. Negroponte offered broad support for President Pervez Musharraf as Washington's key ally faces mounting opposition and Al-Qaeda-linked violence. Negroponte refused to condemn military ruler Musharraf's deportation of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif hours after his return from seven years in exile, saying it was an "internal" matter for Pakistan. AFP PHOTO/Aamir QURESHI (Photo credit should read AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)