Benezir Bhutto Dies in Attack!

[Gatekeeper]

Y'know ... I'm not surprised, not surprised at all. It sucks, it really does. It's always the moderate, civilized leaders that get gunned down by the nutcases on the right and the left, political and religious.

F*ck the extremists.

Gatekeeper

[germanos]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


Ive seen it more stated as a blow to Pakistans chances of getting democracy.

I'm sorry, you are right. It's just the US and the UK.

US PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH

The United States strongly condemns this cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan's democracy. Those who committed this crime must be brought to justice.


UK PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN

Benazir Bhutto may have been killed by terrorists but the terrorists must not be allowed to kill democracy in Pakistan and this atrocity strengthens our resolve that terrorists will not win there, here or anywhere in the world.

We will work with all in the Pakistani community in Britain and elsewhere in the world so that we can have a peaceful and safe and democratic Pakistan.

quotes from the bbc, bolding mine.

[Wiglaf]

Originally posted by Agathon
I'm not going to cry for that skank. "Mobutu with boobs" is the best description I've heard. Apparently, she and her husband had a money siphoning scheme and secret bank accounts that would have shamed the Mafia. And it's not as if she wasn't prone to using violence herself when it suited her (and before the Indians start up, Indira Gandhi did too). Musharraf is just as bad, and would be improved by being dead as well.

The usual crap is on the news, which is predictable since she was "our" bent Islamic politician.

The sad thing is that this will cause riots and massive civil unrest in which many ordinary Pakistani people will needlessly die. These are the same ordinary people who are the victims of the tawdry manipulation and corruption of Pakistani elites like Bhutto and Musharraf, who care nothing for them or their families.

This ankle biting grates on me. Trying to discredit a hero because of relatively minor or irrelevant wrongs in the past.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by germanos


I'm sorry, you are right. It's just the US and the UK.

US PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH

The United States strongly condemns this cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan's democracy. Those who committed this crime must be brought to justice.


UK PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN

Benazir Bhutto may have been killed by terrorists but the terrorists must not be allowed to kill democracy in Pakistan and this atrocity strengthens our resolve that terrorists will not win there, here or anywhere in the world.

We will work with all in the Pakistani community in Britain and elsewhere in the world so that we can have a peaceful and safe and democratic Pakistan.

quotes from the bbc, bolding mine.

I was thinking of press statements, more than pols. Browns doesnt state that Pakistan IS a democracy, just that this could kill what democracy there is in Pakistan. Like if I said that X will kill socialism in the USA, doesnt imply the USA is socialist. Democracy as a force. With some ambiguity, since Musharaff did schedule multiparty elections, and the UK didnt prejudge and say those elections were NOT democratic. Bushs statement is similar, though its worded a tad more toward the implication that Pakistan is a democracy. But then thats Bush.

[Imran Siddiqui]

But then thats Bush.

Sorry, that was just amusing .

[snoopy369]

You might also note that "Undermine Democracy" can be thought of as referring to "undermine the ability of the people to choose their government". Democracy really should be "small d" not "big D", it's not generally a government type in and of itself, but a society in which the people ultimately choose who governs them is democratic regardless of whether it is a true Democracy (there aren't any AFAIK) or not.

[Arrian]

It's sad even if you think she was a bad person - sad because it illustrates what passes for politics in Pakistan. Hasn't her whole family been assassinated at this point?

Meanwhile, our good buddy the military dictator can use this to put off elections and grab some more power, perhaps. And he might be the "good guy." Depressing.

-Arrian

[MOBIUS]

Probably the most obvious assassination ever the moment she set foot in the country - my only surprise is that it actually took this long...

[lord of the mark]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by Arrian

It's sad even if you think she was a bad person -

If she was a money hungry selfish upper class twit she wouldnt have knowingly risked death like that. Aggies just on her for being from the elite and not being a commie. her final months should have earned her respect even from those with differing opinions - in many ways she puts me in mind of Rabin - Aggie probably despises him as well.

Meanwhile, our good buddy the military dictator can use this to put off elections and grab some more power, perhaps. And he might be the "good guy." Depressing.

-Arrian

Not to make excuses for Musharaff, but the PPP apparently is asking for the election to be postponed, and Sharifs party says they will boycott it.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by Arrian
It's sad even if you think she was a bad person - sad because it illustrates what passes for politics in Pakistan.

QFT

[Zkribbler]

The L.A. Times is reporting that first Bhutto was shot and then the suicide bomber struck.

[SlowwHand]

Gee, Zk. Ya think? Be kind of difficult to do it the other way around.

Hold on. You're saying it was a conspiracy? More than one person? Ok, gotcha.

[Arrian]

Shot twice, apparently, at very close range. Then the assassin set off the bomb (speculation being that he did so to prevent being identified).

-Arrian

[SlowwHand]

To prevent being taken.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Gee, Zk. Ya think? Be kind of difficult to do it the other way around.

Hold on. You're saying it was a conspiracy? More than one person? Ok, gotcha.

Actually I was thinking bomb distraction assassination. --But you're right. If her security people had been worth a bucket of spit, they'd be shielding her immediately upon hearing the explosion.