Assassination of former Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto

[Physia]

First, allow me to start by paying my dearest condolonces to this lady, who heartfully applied democracy in most, if not all of its colors. May God rest her soul in peace, and may He punish those responsible for her assassination. Now we know that democracy is never bound to work in such regions as Pakistan, but in the long-distant solution or end, good will win over evil.

 

Who do you think is responsible for her assassination, and what could be the reasons for that?

What do you think about Pakistan's decision of not making an international tribunal for this assassination?

How do you see Pakistan after the assassination of former PM Bhutto?

How do you see the region after her assassination? More unrest?

 

cheers.

[Realitycheck]

This had that whole "irresistible force/immovable object" feel to it. Something had to give and the friends of Taliban just weren't going to have any more female rulers. Plus, having a husband tainted with corruption did not help matters. It is sad, but what can you expect for the conditions and the situation? She was beating her head against a wall. She probably warranted better security, but anyone who exiles themself has already stated what they think about their own country and should really think twice about fanning the flames.

[ChemSiddiqui]

May God rest her soul in peace, and may He punish those responsible for her assassination

 

He will address this no doubt.

 

we know that democracy is never bound to work in such regions as Pakistan

 

Not if the so-called 'honest' politicians remain in the country. They just rule for power and money.

 

Who do you think is responsible for her assassination, and what could be the reasons for that?

 

People and the People's party think that Government is involved. Government has changed quite a few statements lately about how she was assasinated. Why kill her? simple because her party was getting stronger and the elections were just a week long, so good excuse to rid of her and get the election postponed.

 

What do you think about Pakistan's decision of not making an international tribunal for this assassination

 

I think every one ought to keep their internal matters to themselves. AS for why she was killed and the investigation on it, I personally think Government is hiding something.

 

How do you see Pakistan after the assassination of former PM Bhutto

 

Same as before I think, only just that equillibrium has shifted to Musharraf's side a little bit. To speak the truth, no politician, be it Benaziar, Musharraf or nawaz sharif, none of them are or were truly sincere to the country.

 

How do you see the region after her assassination? More unrest?

 

The region where I am living and Lahore as well as other major cities except Islamabad have been rather peaceful. No voilence as it is and no damages so far. Only trouble is that the fuel stations are closed which is making life a little difficult. Anyway, more unrest? I don't think so, we already had enough!

[Physia]

agentchange,

 

What you are saying is very true. Bhutto's return to Pakistan was like spilling oil on fire, but somebody had to spill oil on fire in the end, don't you think so?

It is also very hard to guarantee good security in such areas, as your very close friends are your worst enemies, in most cases and as far as I know (from experience, and whatnot).

 

ChemSiddiqui,

 

I am very surprised to see a reply from a Pakistani on here, and it's a pleasure to read your reply, or what you think about the situation down there.

I have to agree with you; politicians nowadays rule for money and power, careless about the people of their nation or about the nation itself. Maybe these ruthless dictators in the early 1900s were very aggressive, but rather great nationalists that have lessons behind their deadly inhumane actions. (No offense to anybody, of course - that's not my intention, I'm making a point).

 

From the declination of the international tribunal, I would suspect that Musharraf's government is responsible, but if this government is supported by the United States, how would the assassination of Bhutto help?

 

I am expecting some more unrest in the region, especially that the assassination of Bhutto came in a critical time; elections etc.

 

There's one important thing to remember; every time a democratic person is assassinated, it opens the files of all the politicians or leaders who preached democracy and were assassinated for that cause itself, and as long as we have such people we should not worry. As I said, on the long-run we'll face persecution, but good will win over evil at the end.

 

P.S. I'm from the Middle Eastern region as well, to be exact I'm Israeli by origin but lived most of my life in southern Lebanon and fought against the PLO and Hizballah.

I'm looking forward to learning about the situation in Pakistan from you.

 

cheers.

[ChemSiddiqui]

No worries Physia. Mind whatever you hear from me would be my personal but yet authentic account. Things today have been quite ok, its half past 3 afternoon here and the daily life seen to have come to track after 3 after days of difficult situation. hope this news suffices for the time being

[iNow]

Now we know that democracy is never bound to work in such regions as Pakistan

I am curious why you made the above statement. I find it rather false, and pessimistic.

[Sisyphus]

To make a more optimistic view, this might actually have the opposite effect her assassins (whoever they might be) intended. Bhutto was an inspiring story, a pro-western, female, populist leader standing up to the increasingly authoritarian regime. Now, however, she's a martyr, with the sympathies of the entire world. There is no way that the people of Pakistan will just let this die down now, and real democratic reforms are inevitable. Perhaps not in this election (the party leader is now Bhutto's 19-year-old son - yikes), but damn soon.

[Realitycheck]

According to this report, she had quite a bit of security at the event where she spoke beforehand. It wasn't until she was driving around sticking out of the sunroof that she became a sitting duck. It's kind of an odd coincidence that this bomber was there when she decided to do that.

 

At the Rawalpindi rally where Bhutto was slain, hundreds of police ringed the park where she spoke, frisking those entering and making most pass through metal detectors. Police snipers were in at least four positions on nearby rooftops. A 10-yard area was cordoned off in front of the stage, which was inspected by security officials, inspected by bomb-sniffing dogs, and flanked by armed, plainclothes guards.

 

"There were ample security arrangements there," Rawalpindi police chief Saud Aziz said.

 

The attack occurred when Bhutto's vehicle drove outside the park after the rally. Cheema said her vehicle was protected by four police mobile units comprising a total of 25 or 26 officers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071231/ap_on_re_as/pakistan_bhutto_security

[iNow]

Wasn't she killed by the bullet from a gun, and the suicide bomber actually got there too late?

[Pangloss]

I think it most likely to be the extremists behind it. But I can certainly understand the doubt and mistrust the people have for their present leadership. Both sides seem to have valid reasons for pinning this on the other.

 

But I think Al Qaeda is just as stupid as the military leadership if it thinks it can just walk all over such an intelligent, motivated, thoughtful and educated populace. It's never really worked for the military, and it would never work for the Muslim extremists either. Pakistan is not Afghanistan.

 

(Isn't THAT amazing? Right next to each other, and yet so different!)

[Realitycheck]

Wasn't she killed by the bullet from a gun, and the suicide bomber actually got there too late?

 

They have changed the story several times or there are a number of versions. The first version I read was that he fired the gun at her 3 times, hitting her once I believe, and then pulled the plug on the bomb. One version I read said that she didn't actually get hurt from a bullet, but from hitting her head so hard on the car roof when she hurriedly jumped back into the car. Today, I read about how "it was the government who changed the story".

 

Apparently, the U.S. was giving her a steady stream of intel about threats and potential attacks.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080101/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_pakistan

[Physia]

I am curious why you made the above statement. I find it rather false, and pessimistic.

 

On the short run, I find it very true. You can't apply any form of democracy in a place where the presence of anti-democracy fanatics is a majority, or a vetoing minority.

 

On the long run, it should change.

 

According to this report, she had quite a bit of security at the event where she spoke beforehand. It wasn't until she was driving around sticking out of the sunroof that she became a sitting duck. It's kind of an odd coincidence that this bomber was there when she decided to do that.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071231/ap_on_re_as/pakistan_bhutto_security

 

Not a coincidence at all my friend; these people will do all kinds of things to assassinate a political leader that opposes them and their powers of oppression and what follows.

 

Wasn't she killed by the bullet from a gun, and the suicide bomber actually got there too late?

 

I believe she got hurt from the bullet, but didn't die. It is the suicide bomber that actually took her life.

[iNow]

I believe she got hurt from the bullet, but didn't die. It is the suicide bomber that actually took her life.

 

The day of the killing, and the day after, those who were there plainly stated that the bullet killed her. It was only on the second and third day that the government changed the story.

 

I cannot be certain either way, but I'm inclined to be more trustful of the stories which came out first.

[Physia]

The day of the killing, and the day after, those who were there plainly stated that the bullet killed her. It was only on the second and third day that the government changed the story.

 

I cannot be certain either way, but I'm inclined to be more trustful of the stories which came out first.

 

At last, how she was assassinated is not what matters; that she did is.

[ecoli]

At last, how she was assassinated is not what matters; that she did is.

 

Well, is sort of matters. If she was shot, then she was the target of a direct assassination. It speaks of a more conspiratorial threat.

 

I don't trust the Pakistani government to tell the truth on this one. Hell, I don't even trust our own government. Does anyone think the CIA is still in the business of assassinating foreign leaders that don't 'promote US interests'?

[Pangloss]

Remember, someone actually blew themselves up to make this happen. Is it really likely that that person was a follower of the military regime?

[ecoli]

Not impossible... Kamikaze pilots were part of a military regime. And, if the military was trying to avoid detection, all the better for a disguise.

 

Not that I truly believe a conspiracy took place here... but stranger things have happened. Especially concerning the conflicts between differing political ideologies. A lot of the people who live in PPP-friendly regions seem to think Musharaff's government, and maybe the US, are behind it. While it doesn't make the truth any different, if Pakistani's believe it, then it's an important factor.

 

I'm just waiting for the Bhutto-assasination "truth" movement to come out with a video called "Loose Rupees."

[Pangloss]

Is there any indication that the military dictatorship of Pakistan has fanatical followers willing to blow themselves up? I don't think I've ever heard anything like that from the media, but you never know what we get after it passes through a few wire services. Getting real info from the news media is like watching little children playing "I've Got a Secret" sometimes.

 

The idea of working in secret cohoots with Al Qaeda might be a little more believable if it didn't pretty much fail the stink test. Still, if you'd told me that my own government would negotiate for hostages by selling arms to one group of terrorists and give the money to another group of terrorists in our own back yard I'd never have believed that either. But of course we did exactly that.

[iNow]

Much more likely (if this theory has any teeth) is that the government had one of the head's of the terrorist group on payroll. They contacted that leader, bankrolled him some amount, and then HE set the plan in motion for the suicide bomber. Government responsibility by outsourced proxy, as it were.

 

 

Who knows though. When viewing topics such as this it sure seems apparent that culturally we are regressing more than progressing.

[Realitycheck]

Maybe someone lower down who fanatically didn't want to relinquish power to Bhutto, but I highly doubt that it came from the top.

[ecoli]

Maybe someone lower down who fanatically didn't want to relinquish power to Bhutto, but I highly doubt that it came from the top.

why not?

 

Surely the people at the top would roll over on their underlings, and claim ignorance... but I expect that that is rarely true.

[Pangloss]

There's no "win" in it for Musharef that I can see.

[ecoli]

There's no "win" in it for Musharef that I can see.

 

The major leader for his major opposition party is gone. Perhaps he was hoping for the party crumble in their search for a successor. Especially considering the charges of corruption against Bhutto's husband, people might not be happy with him in charge.

[Realitycheck]

He's got all of this trust built with the U.S. I just don't see him stooping to that level.

[ecoli]

He's got all of this trust built with the U.S. I just don't see him stooping to that level.

What do you call trust?

 

taking $10 bill from us and not blowing us up with nukes?