WASHINGTON Pakistani President Pervez Musharrafs resignation could allow the United States to build stronger relations with a fledgling democratic government and embrace what many American lawmakers and Pakistani opposition forces have long urged by moving away from a narrow focus on a single, strong military leader.

Musharrafs announcement of his departure Monday to avoid impeachment at the hands of his political enemies marks the latest step in a stark turnaround in US-Pakistani ties. It could also be the beginning of the rehabilitation of Washingtons image in Pakistan. Many there grew angry at U.S. support for the former army leader who seized power in a 1999 coup and cracked down late last year on the political opposition, judiciary and media.

Pakistans ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, said in an interview that he had no doubt that `the United States-Pakistan relationship is going to become stronger as a result of Musharraf leaving the scene.`

`Every time he took away peoples civil liberties, every time somebody went to prison, every time somebody went missing and joined the ranks of the disappeared _ every action of Musharraf angered people against the United States. That factor is now gone,` he said.

The Bush administration was a loyal Musharraf supporter after he sided with the United States in the drive to hunt down extremists after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Washington pumped billions of dollars in aid into Pakistan and, just last year, described Musharraf as `indispensable` to American efforts to battle extremists in the nuclear-armed country.

Musharraf proved a strong ally in that fight, although many Pakistanis blamed rising violence on Musharrafs use of the army against extremists. Musharraf sparked angry demonstrations in November when he declared a state of emergency and purged the Supreme Court before it could rule on the disputed legality of his presidential re-election.

The Bush administrations continued support of Musharraf caused some to question whether the United States valued Musharrafs fight against militants over the struggles of Pakistani democracy.

After the February election of a new civilian government and the subsequent weakening of Musharrafs power, the Bush administration began distancing itself, repeatedly deflecting questions about Musharrafs future as an internal Pakistani matter.

Rick Barton, a conflict analyst for the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said that, since both Musharraf and the military were `at different levels of being discredited, the United States was holding onto a very narrow base, which was not good for Pakistan and not good for the United States.`

`Its a big country, its a complex place; there are 165 million people. We cant just do it all through authoritarian rulers or through the military. We have to push the democratic opening thats taking place there,` Barton said.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday conveyed some of the Bush administrations former feelings for Musharraf by offering `deep gratitude` for his original decision to join the US-led fight against extremists. She called Musharraf `one of the worlds most committed partners in the war against terrorism.`

But she was also careful to signal strong support for the civilian government that pushed Musharraf aside.

State Department spokesman Robert Wood, asked Monday about Musharrafs fall, said, `The war against extremism is bigger than any one person.`