December 27, 2007
Benazir Bhutto Assassinated (Updated)
Initial rep
orts are coming in and SM will certainly pass on the message. First, CNN Reports -
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (CNN) — Pakistan former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was targeted in a deadly suicide bombing Thursday. Media reports quote her husband saying she suffered a bullet wound to the neck in the attack.…The attacker is said to have detonated a bomb as he tried to enter the rally where thousands of people gathered to hear Bhutto speak, police said.
Some first guesses at implications..
While President Pervez Musharraf has promised free and fair parliamentary elections next month, continued instability in the tribal areas and the threat of attack on large crowds has kept people from attending political rallies and dampened the country’s political process.Campaigners from various political groups say fewer people are coming out to show their support due to government crackdowns and the threat of violence.
Today’s violence come less than two weeks ahead of January parliamentary elections and as many days after President Pervez Musharraf lifted a six-week-old state of emergency he said was necessary to ensure the country’s stability.
Stay tuned.
Updates:
- Getty’s image archive of the event makes for some powerful browsing..
- MSNBC: “A party security adviser said Bhutto was shot in the neck and chest as she got into her vehicle, then the gunman blew himself up.”
- Sky: “Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford said from Pakistan the country’s upcoming January elections would “most likely be postponed or cancelled” because of the attack.”
- “What’s worse, that Musharaff may have had a role in this or that he was powerless to stop it?”
- CNN’s obit on Bhutto
- State Department - “It demonstrates that there are still those in Pakistan who want to subvert reconciliation and efforts to advance democracy.”
- Very informative blog entries from NBC’s correspondant in Pakistan-
But if you are any one of the 99.9 percent of the rest of the 165 million Pakistanis, you hardly notice the emergency law anymore….But most Pakistanis don’t feel it. Musharraf wants it that way…Most analysts here say Musharraf has damaged his reputation, perhaps critically. But so far, he hasn’t pushed people to the streets. Shops are open. Banks are open. Markets are full. Prices are the same as before emergency law. [link]
With her white veil, bejeweled blouses, flawless English and flair for drama and theatrical timing, Benazir Bhutto has painted herself as lady liberty, a lone woman willing to risk all and stand up to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and his emergency rule…. But Pakistan is not Myanmar, and Bhutto is no Aung San Suu Kyi [link]
- Excellent NYT article on Bhutto’s dark side -
Ms. Bhutto, 54, returned to Pakistan to present herself as the answer to the nation’s troubles: a tribune of democracy in a state that has been under military rule for eight years, and the leader of the country’s largest opposition political party… But her record in power, and the dance of veils she has deftly performed since her return — one moment standing up to General Musharraf, then next seeming to accommodate him, and never quite revealing her actual intentions — has stirred as much distrust as hope among Pakistanis.
…”She believes she is the chosen one, that she is the daughter of Bhutto and everything else is secondary,” said Feisal Naqvi, a corporate lawyer in Lahore who knows Ms. Bhutto … her view of the role of government differed little from the classic notion in Pakistan that the state was the preserve of the ruler who dished out favors to constituents and colleagues..
- World Reaction including India -
In India, which has long had a thorny relationship with its neighbors in Pakistan, an Indian Congress Party spokesman told the Press Trust of India, “… we must express our deep concern at anything that disrupts and disturbs the even keel of democratic governance in Pakistan… it is not only anti-democracy but also generates instability.”
- Belmont Club -
…meaningful elections can occur only when the armies — in this case the Pakistani Army and the armed Islamic militants — are committed to the processes of democracy. When every group under arms within a society is determined to settle the question of power by combat the role for the ballot is small indeed. The next few days will show whether the Pakistani Army — for it will surely not be the Taliban — can rededicate itself to electoral democracy. Pakistan needs its George Washington. Unfortunately it only has its Pervez Musharraf.
Some of Vinod’s thoughts -
- Both Musharaff and Bhutto are considered Pro-US / Pro-West / Secular leaders
- Especially relative to the Islamists
- And importantly, relative to the general population
- Bhutto moreso than Musharraf
- So, Jihadist forces (who are both anti-Musharraf and anti-Bhutto) are a likely culprit
- To them, Bhutto was a powerful ally to Musharraf (rather than a rival) and potentially more dangerous in the long run
- Knocking out an important ally wins them almost as much “cred” as taking out Musharraf directly
- Bhutto was “more dangerous” because she was even more vocally Pro-West as well as a woman
- “Pro-Musharraf forces” are getting the initial blame by some … but my gut leans skeptical
- The jury is still out on whether this is a net gain or net loss for Musharraf’s interests
- It certainly feeds the perception that he’s not in control of the country
- To them, Bhutto was a powerful ally to Musharraf (rather than a rival) and potentially more dangerous in the long run
- Given their similarities, what are the substantive differences between Musharraf and Bhutto?
- One key difference was their respective views of the general Pakistani population; Musharaff was a bit more of a “realist” ; Bhutto presented herself as an “idealist”
- Musharaff feared that the populism writ large would lead to an illiberal democracy
- Bhutto was more willing to turn to the electorate to ..
- lead the country to more democracy (if you think she has Good Intentions)
- secure more power / perks for herself (if you think she has Bad Intentions despite the lofty rhetoric)
- By contrast, Musharraf feared that Bhutto’s push for “more democracy” would backfire, leading to “less liberalism” rather than realizing her (stated) intentions…
- Perversely, Bhutto’s assassination is a perfect example of illiberality that gives Musharaff the license to enact repressive, authoritarian policy.
- Given these similar goals but different assessments of the starting line, Musharraf sees himself as a Kemal Atatürk ; Bhutto saw herself as Indira Gandhi or Joan of Arc
- Another difference stems from background - Musharraf came up to national leadership via the military while Bhutto through politics
- If you believe the best hope for the country is to follow the “Turkish Model” [more info…] , the Pakistani military is comparatively more professional and a modernizing force relative to the rest of the civil service
- So, arguably, Musharraf is potentially a more effective, less corrupt manager than a career politician.
- of course, a “manager” and a “national leader” are 2 very different things
- … as are “how well” you deploy power vs. “what you do with it”
vinod on December 27, 2007 08:41 AM in · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
i'm on vacation in india, just watching coverage on ndtv. asma jehangir just broke down and said "damn the army" -- mariana babar, editor of the news was just pointing out that the attack was near where her father, zulfikar bhutto was hanged, and where liaquat ali khan was assassinated.
if this swings things towards sharif, well.. that's awful. we live in interesting times, i suppose.
Is anyone really surprised? Bhutto embraced her death when she decided to return the second time around - she was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.
one particular point babar just made was that -- the ppp party workers, a lot of them are in rawalpindi, and are very very die-hard, and that musharaff may not be able to handle their anger after her death. this seems to have shaken and shocked even non-supportive pakistanis.
Not Surprised really given Pakistan's recent history.
Will America ever learn its lesson...pumping billions in weapons and "anti-terrorism" funds into a savage dictatorship which has no clue nor intent to become a democracy. US foreign policy hypocrisy experiences a new low...
What a fucking shame.
I wouldn't automatically blame Musharraf. The Paki Taliban and ilk have vowed to take over Pakistan and have been held responsible for a string of blasts in recent times.
she was apparently shot dead.. just before the blast..
Wow, this is terrible.
The Times reveals a bit more specific details:
Indira Gandhi. Rajiv. Benazir Bhutto. When will it stop? When will assassinations become obsolete?
"if this swings things towards sharif, well.. that's awful. we live in interesting times, i suppose"
jackal: there was an attack at Sharif's rally as well today. Only a matter of time I suppose.
8 · jujung said
There was Gunfire at Nawab Shariff's rally
How sad and tragic.
Indira Gandhi. Rajiv. Benazir Bhutto. When will it stop? When will assassinations become obsolete?
Thats desi politics sadly. Add in Zia-Ul-Haq and Ranasinghe Premadasa (Sri Lankan).
Interestingly, this incident occurred in the same park where Pak's first PM, Liaqat Ali was assassinated in the 40s.
14 · Pagal_Aadmi_for_debauchery said
Thats desi politics sadly. Add in Zia-Ul-Haq and Ranasinghe Premadasa (Sri Lankan).
Don't forget Mahatma Gandhi and Sheikh Hasina's father in Bangladesh
16 · Suzzy said
Indira Gandhi. Rajiv. Benazir Bhutto. When will it stop? When will assassinations become obsolete?
Thats desi politics sadly. Add in Zia-Ul-Haq and Ranasinghe Premadasa (Sri Lankan).
Don't forget Mahatma Gandhi and Sheikh Hasina's father in Bangladesh
Julius Ceaser, Jesus Christ any one ;)
Quote from Reuters item:
The United States condemned an attack that killed Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, a US State Department official said on Thursday.
"The attack shows that there are still those in Pakistan trying to undermine reconciliation and democratic development in Pakistan," the official said.
No kidding...how about the idiot at the top?
Poor Benazir. She is stupid to believe that Musharraf would provide security. Musharaff is a master of survival techniques.
This is terrible, I wonder what it means for Pakistan.
such a sad, sad day for pakistan
M-fer!!!
I bet that this, either creates a huge wave of anti-Mushie sentiment, or a wave of anti-terrorism sentiment in Pakistan. I'd like to see how this get spinned.
"Thats desi politics sadly. Add in Zia-Ul-Haq and Ranasinghe Premadasa (Sri Lankan)."
And JFK.
If that's really the reaction of most Pakistanis and other desi nations then they deserve the misery they create for themselves.
while her killing is unfortunate for pakistan's immediate future, lets not forget that she was a notorious kleptocrat, who had her own brother bumped off.
how many think that mushy will postpone elections and use her death to consolidate power? i do.
NDTV is reporting that she was shot twice, once in the head and once in the neck, and then the suicide bomber exploded himself. Bastards.
How incredibly tragic. =( I'm really saddened by this...I found her to be a brave woman.
I hope Mushy stays in power for another couple of years. Not that I am a great supporter of his brand of politics, he seems more stable to tackle internal problems and keep the nuclear weapons safe. If anything the general needs support both from outside and inside, which is clearly not going to happen.
There is only one way for Pakistan to go from here...
none of the pakistani newspapers online are carrying the news yet. Check pakistan times. wow
All my thoughts are with the people of Pakistan. I'm praying (however vainly) for the violence and hatred to stop.
I can't get a grip on whether this makes me more sad, angry, or apathetic. It's as if the older one gets, the more evil and inhumanity one sees, the more cynical, unfeeling, & disengaged one is wont to become.
Surprising? Probably not. I remember thinking or commenting to a friend when Bhutto's motorcade was ambushed a few months ago that she will be lucky to not be killed sooner or later.
One wonders if she truly felt she would be safe in Pakistan. Love of country and desire to contribute aside, is there some shred of a risk-taking thrill inherent in this endeavor she had embarked upon? Some level of martyrlike delusion, however deeply buried? Can any of us imagine being devoted enough to any political cause to risk our life so boldly? Was it worth it, Benazir?
Truly sad. Whither Pakistan?
To blame BB for her own death is like blaming Rajiv Gandhi for his own death. That's how I feel. YMMV.
This made me incredibly sad today. Hard to believe. Those Getty images are incredibly sobering. My deep wish for the new year is now that Pakistan doesn't burn and this doesn't spur on massive violence as it has the potential to.
One of Pakistans newspapers says "30 killed in Rawalpindi, Bhutto included" what a shame on Pak media
Just a warning to those who have weak stomachs (like me)..those Getty images aren't an easy view.
SM on CNN right now.
sepiamutiny.com is on cnn news right now.
not the best of the thing during this tragedy but nevertheless history is repeating itself in "strange" ways in that region
Soviet invasion then and US war on terror now
golden temple then red mosque now
emergency by indira then and emergency by mushrraf now
assasination of indira then and benazir now
wonder how much of this co-incidental and how much of this by design by ISI ?
Agreed, though I never agreed with the politics of either Rajiv or Indira Gandhi I was saddened by the way they met their
ends.
lol...same thing I was gonna say! They quoted Ponniyin and someone and used one other that they did not credit.
Congrats Guys! Keep up the good work!
Really tragic news. The Getty images were unbelievable. I cannot believe what Pindi has come to...
hey guys: just was watching CNN, and sepiamutiny and some of the comments were mentioned on television regarding bhutto....they were looking at a few online blogs...
Does the PPP have an obvious successor to Bhutto? If so, this death could be used to benefit not just the party but the nation. You can assassinate an individual, you can't assassinate that individual's party.
My heart sank when I woke up to this news. Extreme religions everywhere, including the US., ought to hang their heads in shame.
btw were the gunshots and bomber working in tandem, or some crazy coincidence?
just saw the cnn as well... they even named the posters they were quoting...
SepiaMutiny was just mentioned on CNN! Is this a first?
Dizzydesi,
The Dawn is carrying a sentence saying, Benazir Bhutto Dies. wow. Compare that to BBC OR even TOI which screams in bold letters BENAZIR BHUTTO ASSASINATED
Did you guys see SEPIAMUTINY.COM featured live on CNN a few minutes ago?
By an African-American correspondent at the International Desk...
She was QUOTING from several of YOUR POSTS! Including "someone," "Candadai Tirumalai," and "Ponniyin Selvan"...
keep up the good work -- but don't be inflammatory just for the sake of it.
THANKS,
Kishan
3 · jackal said
This is so true i woke up this morning to news of her assasination and it left me heartsick, i am not pakistani so i don't know the full impact but this is just so sick, killing a woman who obviously had the best interest of Pakistan at heart and wanted democracy for her home country and she is killed in cold blood, it is sick.
I am kind of shocked coz just last night I was reading recent BB's Newsweek interview which I posted on SM in a different context. And now this morning I wake up to this news. In fact one of the question that was asked to BB was about her assassination
My heart is hurting for Pakistan today, and my prayers go out to Bhutto's family, her supporters and the Pakistani people. Such a beautiful woman, and such a brave and determined life extinguished foolishly! Will we never learn to stop the killing and the hatred?? I fear she may have been Pakistan's last chance...but perhaps in her death she can be more successful in her mission that the world allowed her to be in her life.
Topcat
See Big banner Bang on top of the page? (BB assassinated). See easy instructions on banner (click here for updates). FOLLOW THEM.
Rioting has already started in karachi. As for implications, after this I wonder if any politician in Pakistan will take a strong stance against the jihadis. Which probably means that the jihadis will get stronger in Pakistan. Obviously this is bad for both Pakistan and India and will probably have global consequences too if they do get too strong.
27 · Shalu said
I agree with you, she struck me as a very brave woman, who was bound and determined to do what she thought was in the best interest of her country. I couldn't believe what i woke up to this morning....just shocking.
pakistan's future just got dimmer. while i didn't always agree with bhutto's politics, i had immense respect for her courage; i can't help but feel numb at the news. during her recent visit to washington, just a few weeks before returning to pakistan, i had a chance to sit with her at a small group meeting. aside from being brave, bhutto struck me as pragmatic and poised, ready to take on internal turmoil as well as external challenges. she was a shrewd politician, but also such a strong female in a world of male figures -- now that hope, leadership, and courage has been extinguished.
and her surviving mother has to live through another loss -- the assassination of her father, poisoning of her brother, possible overdose of her sister...
i agree with adil najam at pakistaniat: "Today, in shock, I can think only of Benazir Bhutto the human being. Tomorrow, maybe, I will think of politics."
BTW last moments pics in rediff
Finally Pak times has news about BB. Here is what it says
"Pakistan Bomb Blast: Kills ex-PM Benazir Bhutto"
Another implication is also the PPP is blaming the Army and the ISI. The Army will obviously need to crack down on this if they are unable to make the PPP give up this stance, and one can only wonder how much things will escalate if that happens. The last thing the sub continent needs is civil war in pakistan.
Unfortunately she was condemned the moment she was born into the Bhutto family. Not unlike the Gandhi-Nehrus or Kennedys, for some reason these families have always had members die violent deaths.
Of course, an unstable nuclear Pakistan with it's Taliban and MMA is scareworthy.
Hussain Haqqani (a respected pro-Benazir commentator) charged Musharraf with negligence in Bhutto's security, and even insinuated collusion. Hamid Mir, chief of Geo TV was on CNN right now, saying that the anger in Pakistan is focused at Musharraf and not at fundamentalist organizations. This doesn't look good for Musharraf. I don't think he had a hand in the assassination, but low levels of the military may be involved to some extent.
7 · someone said
Why not take a different angle ( though sinister ) to the recent events in Pakistan - that it has been well orchestrated ploy by Musharraf to continue his hold. He used the emergency to get rid of the judges against him and become the unchallenged president. He uses the assassination to postpone the elections or decimate any credible opposition leader. US is happy coz all they care about is nukes and osama. Btw anybody watched the recent movie Charlie Wilson's war ? The last sentence "who cares a shit about schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan" is sad story about the region's troubled politics.
Benazir has been in public life for 30 years, and in politics for 20 years and by now you either loved her or hated her. I'm not a real Pakistani, but I remember the euphoria of 1988 pretty well, and the crashing disappointment of the her second term in the 90s, when only dedicated PPP partisans still believed in her. Reading the news this morning was like a punch in the gut.
Time to rename Liaquat Bagh now, I suppose. Too many assassinations.
(Metroblog Karachi has updated news in the comments. It's all a bit chaotic right now, and way too soon for retrospectives or analysis).
oh no
I saw CNN this morning EST 8am and they mentioned the blast but not her death so this is terrible.
i know pakistan has it's troubles but still sad to hear of her death regardless of the politics!
Modernised and independent minded women have always suffered in Islamist Pak. Singer Nadia Hassan died mysteriously too. It is time women take charge in Pak. Elect Begum Nawazish Ali.
67 · Topcat said
They tried to kill Nawaz too, this is not about womens issues but much more.
Al Qaeda claims responsibility
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=1.0.1710322437
Topcat (67): Nadia Hassan died of ovarian cancer, not mysterious circumstances.
67 · Topcat said
Are you kidding me? What political credentials does Begum Nawazish Ali have? The last thing a troubled state like Pakistan needs is a novice politician.
While I am filled with a sense of unease about what lies in Pakistan's future, I can't help but think that Benazir herself was in part responsible for her own tragic end. All Pakistani leaders continued the policy of supporting Islamist militants to carry out a proxy war against India with covert support from the CIA. Keeping up the facade of conducting peace talks, they continued to train and arm fanatical elements in Pakistan for their own political gains. They lacked the foresight that given enough power these fanatical elements would aspire to rule the country itself.
I hope Benazir's assassination is a wake up call to leaders in Pakistan to discontinue support to these militants.
This is a sad and one of the most important event of 2007 as far as India-Pakistan is concerned. This is definately a handywork of the Jihadis. Unfortunately the grip of Jihadis is becoming firmer on Pakistan. First the "Lal Masjid" and now this. I hope this barbaric act creates a backlash in average Pakistani against the Jihadis.
Benazir Bhutto's manipulation of and embrace by the West probably doomed her. She left Pakistan at only 16 to matriculate at Harvard. From there, on to Oxford. Her stunning physical beauty, coupled with her eloquence in the English language, made her a darling of the Western media and governing elite. Her first electoral victory carried so much hope, and defied convention as a woman took the helm of a Muslim country. It is tragic that the promise was squandered by corruption, cronyism, and heavy-handed governing tactics.
Yet, for all her imperfections, Benazir was probably the best hope for semi-secular governance in Pakistan. She and Musharraf, though bitter personal foes, shared the goals of ensuring that Pakistan did not spiral into chaos at the hands of religious extremists and bridging firm ties with the West. In the wake of Bhutto's assasination, it is not clear that Musharraf will survive much longer.
I don't think blaming the lack of coverage of BB's death in Pakistani news on Pakistani media is necessarily fair. After all Musharaff has implemented some pretty harsh censorship of the media. And although I am saddened by the news Im not sure if this really effects democracy in Pakistan. With all of the media censorship I doubt that there would have been fair elections anyway. After all how can the people make an educated choice about the candidates if there is hardly any information about the candidates and their platform getting to them.
This looks bad for Musharraf, he gains from her death since she is a political rival which makes him suspect.
Even if he is not directly responsible that her assassination happened on his watch makes him look like a weak ruler
and that he is no longer in charge.
Volatile Pakistan is bad news for everybody.
Using news of a woman's assassination to vent your spleen is tacky and tact-less. Stay on topic and try to emulate the vast majority of commenters here who engage in thoughtful and civil discourse.
Just heard a British analyst saying that you can't rule out collusion between elements in the Pakistani security agencies and jihadis.
While it may seem so (and one is inclined to feel that way) Bhutto over the years has made several enemies. Rouge elements of the ISI? Musharraf? Nawaz? Taliban/AQ/Jihadists? Former supporters who're pissed off due to [insert the grievence here/monetary issues]. The list is long. She wasn't going to save Pakistan anytime soon, however, she was competition and in a market where it was weak to begin with, and this doesn't bode well for the country.
Time will tell, I'm sure the odds on the jihadis being the culprits are the highest.
How do you think Kargil war was funded or the diversion of US funds to anti-India operations. The nexus has always been there. Just a couple days back BB had voiced out that Pak Madarassas are nurturing killers and authorities are not doing anything, and today her words were proved right.
Well, I guess that says it. But collusion/support from other elements is still a probability...
Has Musharaff made a statement yet?
I know Manmohan Singh (via intermediaries) and Hamid Karzai have. Even Bush has (kind of). What's Musharaff saying? Has the Pakistani government said anything yet?
78 · Suzzy said
Need to watch out for blowbacks though...
Has anyone noticed that Benazir Bhutto looks larger than normal in her last news video? I think she was wearing some kind of bullet-proof body armor, like Jayalalitha does. But the bastards went for her head and neck.
May Benazir Bhutto rest in peace.
Why Bhutto would want this to happen is beyond me, although she must have known it was inevitable. The political parties are already carrying their strategies forward. Musharraf will be able to use this to prevent the election, of course. The evil ones will use it to foment violence. No good will come of it, that's for certain. Did Bhutto have a plan, or did she return to Pakistan only to commit suicide?
"'Look how he abused me. How he beat me and threw me down and robbed me.'" He who indulges in such thoughts will never be free from hate. 'Look how he abused me. How he beat me and threw me down and robbed me.' He who frees his mind from such thoughts will forever live in peace."
Given that you pointed out that there are potentially many enemies responsible for her assassination, what is the rationale behind saying that AQ is the most probable? I'm not familiar with the context, so excuse any impertinence, but from your earlier comment it seemed like she had several enemies with more than adequate resources for the job. Is there something about AQ's recent activities in Pakistan that make them the likeliest culprit?
ak, I don't blame her for anything, her assasination should be seen as an assault on the entire country. I feel bad for those who died, but almost worse is that it makes any thought of a decent, civil, and democratic Pakistani society seem so unattainable.
Tariq Azim, former Pakistan minister mentions that the President is considering declaring Emergency in Pakistan.
(Source: NDTV)
He addressed the nation I think. He mentioned how the country's biggest enemies are the extremists, etc etc and thus you could guess he is implying that the country needs the army now more than ever
This is just further proof that Pakistan is not ready for democracy.
I hope Musharraf cracks down hard on these assholes.
Not sure about additional comments, but Musharaff has apparently declared three days of national mourning.
I have problems with those dredging up Bhutto's chequered record at this moment. History can ultimately now only paint her based on that past record. The tragedy of her death -- her murder -- is that it effectively also kills that particular thread of discourse. She's dead. It's over. As of today, regarding Bhutto's future contributions to her country, it will only be questions and hypotheticals: could've, should've, would've, might have...
To distract attention away from his own incompetence or complicity?
Sad to say, the bravest person in the country was killed today and it is now run by a bunch of cowards and enablers.
it makes me wonder... after looking at the video, the security force, the land cruiser, and the increased protection with a shell..who infiltrated her security... would she have been safer sans 'muslim' bodyguards, and instead hired non-pakistani people to protect her and the entourage? (i.e. blackwater.. or other security teams?)..just a thought.
this is bad news in a manner of speaking but this is the same lady who kickstarted the kashmir insurgency and her confidante nasirullah khan babur created the taliban
(s)he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.
no tears here.
Probably. But, the truth may never come out considering the reputation of Pak and its lack of free press/media
Oh no, I woke up to this ghastly news. I pray there is stability in that region and people of her country rise against extremism. Naive thought: Maybe she was killed for being a woman who was yielding too much power in a conservative country ? I hope moderate voices rise all over the world. Peace.
Well said, Kusala.
From WSJ
Major indexes opened lower, and selling intensified through the morning on various pieces of bad news. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which had been up four straight days, recently fell 120.79 to 13430.90. The S&P 500 lost 11.47 to 1486.19, and the Nasdaq Composite Index declined 24.21 to 2700.20.
Qui Bono?
Good idea for Bhutto the private person, not the best idea for Bhutto the politician: Umm... I don't really trust any one from your country to protect me, but can I please be your Prime Minister?
What will an imploding Pakistan mean for the rest of the world?
Are we going to see an Indian intervention force come in or the are the places where nukes are being held going to be turned into glass parking lots?
Assassinating her was cowardly... remarkably cowardly...
I might not have agreed with all of her politics, but I admire her for having the courage to stand up and do what she thought was best, and not being cowed by others.
It's a damn shame that someone like her had to die.
like I can see the babus sitting in RAW discussing this over chai tommorow :D
Sorry to be cynical, but India doesnt have the political leadership to take such a decision..not that it should take it.
What is most likely to happen is that the MEA will call up their P.O.C in USA, who would pacify them that the nukes are safe and let the US worry abt the nukes.
BBC's World Have Your Say is reporting that she got in her car, but then "could not resist" emerging from the sunroof for a final wave at supporters. "It was a fatal decision". Apparently, that's when she was shot. :(
And then there was one....
With only anti-American Nawaz Sharif left as credible opposition Mush can continue to yell "Apres moi le deluge"
I don’t know what to say or do right now. I sit far away from my parents and sister who are in Pakistan, watching the only home I knew for so many years yet again plunging into chaos. I feel guilty for condemning her in the past – I feel guilty for even now thinking momentarily of the terror and turmoil her two tenures as Pakistan’s prime minister brought, during the years I was in middle and high school. I feel immense sadness for her three children and her mother. I worry so for my family and friends and for my homeland: with all its past – will it survive yet another wave of terror? Will we ever be able to hope for something better?
I perhaps irrationally get angry when I hear/read comments connecting this to the global war on terror, or its impact on some other country (thinking mostly of CNN’s coverage). Of people assuming to know what’s happening in my homeland. The comments that condemned Pakistani media for supposedly not blaring this as loudly as the commentator thought it deserved made my blood boil.
How can I convey that while many Pakistanis did NOT see her as the potential savior of our homeland, we never wanted this for her? Why do I feel guilty for not agreeing with her politics, for actually opposing her? I don’t know what to do or say right now, other than pray for her and her family. And for my home.
103 · A N N A said
That's amazing if that's how it happened. Just pure speculation (put your tinfoil hats on):
An assistant in the limo says "They love you so much. Perhaps you should wave to them one last time before you leave..."
First of all hats of to sepiamutiny which was prominently mentioned on CNN (channel 42). I was speechless as they mentioned this website and describing how the author of this site has quoted the shocking killing of Bhutto.
Back to business of this tragic incident.......
Pakistan is in the grip and grasp of a monstor they created/edited/nurtured selectively to use it as a tool for solving some of their domestic issues as well as foreign policy issues. Politicians as well as Military and not to mention ISI were using it as an open source tool to meet their ends. It was also mentioned that Mrs Bhutto was also one of the founders of Taliban to get a strategic depth in Afghanistan and look what happened to her and Pakistan.
It is very tragic incident and has completely wiped out the hope of Pakistan returning to Democratric rule any time soon.
Beyong This assasination......
I don't see how Pakistan can go ahead with election plans without any prominent figure for PM post. With Nawaz sharrif barred from contesting, who will lead Pakistan?
What will happen, if Nawaz and Musharraf are also assassinated?
Will Pakistan stay in one piece?
Will Nuclear weopons be confiscated by Americans?
--Sri
Bhutto was not a saint. Nor do I confer upon her these sorts of benedictions just because she's dead now. Her death was tragic, but what was more tragic was that 12 other people were killed to get to her.
I don't think that Mussharaf's goal of preventing Pakistan from "spiralling into chaos at the hands of religious extremists" went hand-in-hand with Bhutto's goal of preventing that spiral. The two were bitter rivals, and each has been quite sure that they're deserving of power. Bhutto did not return to Pakistan out of some sort of benign and idealistic love of country. She returned because the time was ripe for her to make a bid for power, and to some extent it almost worked. To say she was the bravest person in the country or that she died a martyr for a cause completely ignores how she has conducted herself since she arrived in Pakistan, or how she conducted herself when she last held power.
To the morons who will no doubt use this to confirm their suspicions that "Pakistan is not ready for democracy." Uh, yes it is. There is no part of the planet where the people are "unready for democracy," because democracy is, by definition, the will of the people.
No, saying that allows the speaker in question a moment of moral superiority, which is pretty disgusting, really. For the most part, individuals are powerless in the face of the state, a fact that those who live good lives in "progressive" nations lose sight of all the time when they see political turmoil elsewhere.
Remember: it can happen anywhere. And over time...it does. Your taking the moral high ground doesn't help in the slightest.
SadKarachiite,
Thank you so much for sharing your comment. I think many of us are experiencing an awkward, conflicted response to her assassination. Someone upthread said it well- today I mourn for her, maybe tomorrow I'll consider everything she did.
Characterizing her as a "kleptocrat in an Hermes scarf" just feels wrong now. I'm not by any means saying we should forget all faults and lionize the lost...just that right now, I'm saddened, shocked and concerned about what comes next. I'm not considering her past sins right this second.
I was thinking about Benazir Bhutto's children-I think she has three. Imagine how terrible they must be feeling now.
Osama is safe, and Bhutto wasnt.
On one hand pakistani officials say they cant go after tribals, yet when knocking of Bugti in another tribal area is no big deal.
The game is obvious
Not only do we need to think about the people killed in this attack but also the people killed in the first attempt too. It's not just a tragedy that Bhutto was killed but also a tragedy that so many others were killed as well.
A N N A - thanks for putting it perhaps better than I did or could. It does feel wrong to focus on her faults. And by no means did I mean to imply that anyone SM has made me feel guilty or conflicted. I guess I just wanted to put my emotions down and convey that, though I've criticized her here in the past, I am still shocked and saddened at what has happened today.
Santosh: one can speculate, but a couple of guests from Pakistan on NPR's "Day to Day" a few minutes ago mentioned that it was somewhat common for her to wave to crowds at rallies out of the sunroof. One would think that wouldn't be advisable...
I think her eldest is starting college.
The people in Pakistan whom they are interviewing on the radio right now are saying things like:
"I am shattered.".
"Pakistan is burning."
"No clue what this night or tomorrow will bring."
"Mush. said this would happen, even Benazir said this would happen, everybody did...but no one believed it actually would."
"Innocent people died as well, but focus is on BB. Elite classes are suffering, now there are emergency meetings...why weren't they meeting when innocent people were dying?"
I'm angry, very f*****G angry, Whatever her flaws she was a leader of a nation and took risks to help Pakistan.
If it was indeed the psychos is the mountains responsible, I hope Pakistan and its people finishes them off .......... slowly.
113 · SadKarachiite said
I think that sums it up well-- for me and probably others.
It was such a brutal, barbaric act, at close range, shrapnel flying everywhere. Innocent people who were excited to see their party's leader (as well as the police who were there) are killed or maimed, to eliminate this so-called "American darling".
I know that not everyone believed that she was the right person for Pakistan. However everyone has to agree that She was a Brave person and that she had all the things that make great leaders.She stood up for what she believed in in the face of tremendous adversity. People need to celebrate her life, her courage,her fight, and realize that she chose to be brave and stand up. She was the belief that things could change, that a woman could run things, and now all we see is that for any bit of light or hope for this world is useless because darkness will win.
I just don't understand WHY? Great leaders like Martin Luther King or Ghandi devote their lives for the betterment of others and all they get is an assassins bullet. Musharraf might just as well have shot her himself. Fuck, why do good people have to die? At least she won't have to suffer in this evil world anymore, and deal with these stupid bastards. God Bless You Benazir Bhutto!
Why would they do that ? Those are golden egg laying psychos.....not even a 4 term Congressman can get more pork out of D.C.
Alas, the sacrifices Musharraf has to make the restore the glory of Pakistan! In times like this, one must offer unquestioning support to whatever measures a strong leader feels are necessary to restore order.
Its more productive that beating up a bus or a rickshaw!! what did those vehicles do?
105· SadKarachiite said
Thank you for sharing that with us.
Jenn: I think "celebrate her life" is a bit strong given that it was probably some combo of megalomania and venality that brought her back. Money and fame probably elicit more bravery than love of country in South Asia, you will see that in India as well. We should mourn her violent death because it is yet another indication of the loss of law and order
More from the Beeb...
Re: how so many supporters were killed and the fact that more people died in Pakistan than Afghanistan this year (?!)
Benazir: "You can accuse me of anything, but all I want is this bloodshed in Pakistan...to come to an end. And to achieve that objective, I will talk to anybody."
.
random caller: "Flawed yes, but she was Pakistan's only hope...(now we must wait) until the next generation"
Kamila Shamsie: "It's tremendously troubling that assassination is considered a way of dealing with one's opponents..."
A school mate, who was discussing how she could have taken the easy way and lived safely in the West:
"She was very aware of the risk she was taking, I spoke to her some months back. She didn't want Pak to fall in to hands of fundamentalists...she wanted democracy."
A police officer who knew her:
"She was a really brave lady, a sign of democracy in Pakistan. Killing her is an attack on democratic process in Pakistan...She was so brave, like her father. She had local, unqualified members of security from PPP who could not protect her...if she had relied on professional security..."
Random caller from India:
"This was not planned in a huddle in a mosque somewhere...this was a precision attack."
Random Pakistani-American:
"I'm shocked to hear about Bhutto's death, it's time we peace-loving Muslims reclaim our country from killers."
She came back to Pakistan trying to work out a deal with Musharraf that would get her elected as Prime Minister in a nominal election where her main opponent was not allowed to run. Sure, she put her life at risk in pursuing that goal of power, but considering how well she and Mr. 10 percent did for themselves the first time around, her "courage" is understandab