December 27, 2007
Benazir Bhutto Assassinated, U.S. Politicians React
Earlier today, former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto was killed during a rally. The Western-educated (Harvard, Oxford) Bhutto had been living in Dubai and London for eight years, but returned in October to prepare for Pakistan's national elections (to be held next month) with hopes of returning to power. However, her return parade was bombed, killing 134 people and injuring more than 400. [Her obituary in the NY Times.]
U.S. politicians weighed in on Bhutto's death. President Bush said, "The United States strongly condemns this cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan's democracy," and presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, whose campaign has perhaps emphasized fighting terrorism the most relative to other candidates, expressed his condolences to Bhutto's family and alluded to his credentials:
“The assassination of Benazir Bhutto is a tragic event for Pakistan and for democracy in Pakistan. Her murderers must be brought to justice and Pakistan must continue the path back to democracy and the rule of law. Her death is a reminder that terrorism anywhere — whether in New York, London, Tel-Aviv or Rawalpindi — is an enemy of freedom. We must redouble our efforts to win the Terrorists’ War on Us.”Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced there would be a three-day mourning period and vowed to "liquidate terrorists from their roots." Newsweek's Michael Hirsh suggests that "Bhutto could become in death the kind of hero for democracy in Pakistan that she never quite became in life."
The Pakistan Mission to United Nations reiterated Musharraf's statement. When asked if there's anything travelers to Pakistan or Pakistanis in NYC should know, a mission spokesman said it's simply a great shock and hopefully the country will be able to move forward and the assassins will be found. And interesting fact: There was an assassination attempt on Bhutto in 1993 by Ramzi Yousef, who was found guilty of masterminding the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Photograph of Bhutto before her last public rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan today by Mohammed Javed/AP
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Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced there would be a three-day mourning period and vowed to "liquidate terrorists from their roots."
Maybe Musharraf wants to begin with his own "security" forces.
yeah, i was wondering if you guys were going to post about this or not, seeing as how it's not explicitly New York-centric. But Bhutto's assassination will have global repercussions, bet on it. Disgusting and tragic, but not unforeseen. Musharref has to be deposed. Whether or not he had a hand in her assassination or not, it spells failure for his country.
"International disgrace" are words that come to mind.
"The Western-educated (Harvard, Oxford) Bhutto had been living in Dubai and London for eight years, but returned to prepare for Pakistan's national elections in January and with hopes of returning to power. However, when she returned, the parade was bombed, killing 134 people and injuring more than 400. [Her obituary in the NY Times.]"
That is incorrect - the Karachi bombing you are referring to in the last sentence occured in October of this year.
"That is incorrect - the Karachi bombing you are referring to in the last sentence occured in October of this year."
"In January" refers to the elections, not to the bombing, which occurred when she returned (in October). Poorly drafted, but not incorrect.
It is sad that she was cowardly killed today and it is a huge set back for the people of Pakistan. However from some of the reading and reporting today certain media outlets are making her out to be this infallible Gahndi like character. She was routinely accused of corruption and along with her husband wanted for stealing millions of dollars from Pakistan. Her return to Pakistan was paritally prompted by some backroom dealing between the current govt about these charges.
Also, lets not be too quick in assigning blame right away. There are many people, including the opposition party, who benefit from this. It is convenient for the US govt to make Al Qaeda the automatic target in order to strike more fear into us.
Giuliani sounds just like Bush. Please, no more.
I find it odd that few news outlets have pointed out this bit of irony I reported earlier today at Bob McCarty Writes™: The Pakistan People's Party, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, used a news release yesterday to announce it had turned to the Internet to raise funds for the party's efforts to win parliamentary elections in January 2008.
I find it odd that few news outlets have pointed out this bit of irony I reported earlier today at Bob McCarty Writes™: The Pakistan People's Party, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, used a news release yesterday to announce it had turned to the Internet to raise funds for the party's efforts to win parliamentary elections in January 2008.
What a frckin waste! Now why can't Al Qaeda assassinate instead someone like....
I don't give a crap about Pakistan. I'm concerned that there are crazy people with 100 nukes in Pakistan. I'm also concerned about Pakistan being the new Iraq and Bush's next screw up. It's WMD. It's Al-Qaida. It's democracy.
If Musharraf can keep the nukes secured, we should hope he stays put.
What a frckin waste! Now why can't Al Qaeda assassinate instead someone like.
You're not funny BTW.
This is all the Idiot-in-Chief's fault. If he had just kept the troops in Afghanistan, Al Qaeda would be history by now and we wouldn't need a dubious ally like Musharraf. But noooo, he had to go and divert most of our troops to a totally unrelated and unjustified war and let Al Qaeda and the Taliban regroup. Bhutto is just the latest (but unfortunately not the last) and the most high-profile victim of the bungling of quite possibly the most incompetent administration of the last few decades, if not of all American history. These guys make the Bay of Pigs look like a precision military operation.
Rest in peace, Benazir. There are no words to say how sorry I am for what our esteemed "leader" has done to you and to your country, and I know many Americans agree with me.
We couldn't have invaded Afghanistan without Pakistan being an ''ally''. We need him more than he needs us.
Bush hasn't helped in Pakistan, to be sure, but Musharraf was already screwing up before he ever knew W.