Sadly, a lot of people suspected this would happen. I remember her announcing in a C-SPAN interview her intentions to return, and she spoke eloquently about the challenge she faces with religious political extremists in the country. In that interview, she said she didn't fear her death, and that standing up to extremists was more important a cause than sitting back and watching her country stray from Democracy. I haven't looked for the clip, but I'm willing to bet it sums up her determination very well. It's time people like her are lifted up as heroes and the murderous ideology that led to her death is properly termed: cowardiced thuggery from religious supremacists.
Ironically enough, al Qaeda has indeed taken credit for the attack and assassination. http://tinyurl.com/38pkar
Not that they would try to further any sort of agenda, eh? It's just the Religion of Peace, yes indeed
Joe, you blame the religion of Islam for this? So, does that mean you will blame Christianity for every other war? WWII maybe?
They can say anything they want, but Musharraf was behind it . . .
Why would you be in shock over Bhuttos murder? It has seemed like a forgone conclusion to me since the day she stepped off the plane in Karachi.
Her father was a military dictator who attempted over several decades to secularize Pakistan. She then became an elected president of Pakistan and moved from pro-Soviet to pro-American while continuing the secularization.
And never forget what being a female leader means in her world.
The next questions are: how long will Musharef last, and will Pakistan implode at some near point? Are we even trying to forestall the collapse?
Oh, and didn't it seem trite when the Pakistani government discovered who killed her so quickly. Never forget that the military dictatorship would benefit more than anyone else by her death.
And I'm not defending Al Qaeda. They would love to have killed her on many levels and may have done so.
Casey,
Saying I'm shocked by this news isn't the same as saying I didn't know her life was in danger or that I wasn't aware she hadn't embarked on a dangerous path when she agreed to re-enter politics.
I was truly just very saddened and shocked at the news. This is a very complicated story and there's certainly a lot that Musharaff has to answer for, but there's also a lot Condi Rice has to answer for, as well.
I don't think we'll ever get the full story as to who's behind this. Al Qaeda? Maybe. But there are so many groups benefiting from her death, and the Musharaff government's quick actions to deny her a martyr's death is awfully suspicious.
Ooops, I mean, "I wasn't aware she HAD embarked on a dangerous path ..."
It's still early here ...
I agree with you about Condi, and Bush. Although she has improved. She has stood up against Cheney over the need to invade Iran according to the NYT. She has brought ration to Bush's understanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
I've admired Bhutto for years. She was a Pakistani patriot.
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