apt-get -f dist-upgrade removing dpkg-dev

["Bryan K. Walton" <walton@mailbag.com>]

This morning, I ran a apt-get -f -s dist-upgrade on my laptop running
testing.  Here is what apt-get wants to do:

work-linux:/home/walton# apt-get -f -s dist-upgrade
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Calculating Upgrade... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  alien cpio debhelper dpkg-dev kernel-package realplayer
tpctl-modules-source
1 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 7 to remove and 0  not upgraded.
Remv alien (7.30 Debian:testing)
Remv tpctl-modules-source (2.5-4 )
Remv kernel-package (7.74 Debian:testing)
Remv debhelper (3.0.51 Debian:testing)
Remv dpkg-dev (1.9.18 Debian:testing)
Remv realplayer (8.0.5 Debian:testing)
Remv cpio (2.4.2-38 Debian:testing)
Inst tar (1.13.25-1 Debian:testing)
Conf tar (1.13.25-1 Debian:testing)

Looks like the upgrade of tar wants to remove some stuff that shouldn't
be removed.  Any ideas on why this is happening, and the best way to fix
it?

Thanks,
Bryan Walton