Can He Win the War?

When King Gyanendra suspended Nepal's democracy last week, he incurred the wrath of the United Nations, India and several other countries. But most democracies, from the Philippines to Colombia, have failed to quell domestic rebellions democratically. With much of Nepal now controlled or dominated by Maoist insurgents, strong and centralized leadership is a stark necessity, although Gyanendra will need to somehow forge a national consensus to contain and ultimately end the insurgency.

While the situation appears grim, there is still hope. First, there is no foreign country backing the insurgents. New Delhi, for example, is worried that the...