Assassination attempt on Benazir Bhutto

[Thac0man]

Tragic events have unfolded tonight but lets hope she can convince musharraf that hes doing everything wrong

Actually the indications are from her own statements that Bhutto will persue a policy of fighting exrtemism in Pakistan, much in the same fashion as Musharraf has. Her eventual stop, before she was interrupted by the bombng, was to give a speech at the tomb of Jinnah, which I think was symbolically important, indicating her loyalty to the secular ideals laid down by Pakistans founder, and hence the preeminence of the State over other considerations.

The legacy of Jinnah is a power one that Mussharraf is unable to lay full claim to while not holding fully elected office.

Under Bhutto we might expect to see harsher measures taken against government and ex-government officers who still sympathise with the extremists, relationships developed to a dangerous level under Nawaz Sharif. Musharraf has already purged the leadership of the ISI, but those leaders may still have their loyalists within the agency. Ex ISI leaders like General Hamid Gul make no secret of the allegance, he is even an official adviser to the Islamic council that controls the Taliban. These men can only be countered by a strong Pro-Pakistan nationalist agenda. It is the only force in my opinion that can counter the Islamisation introduced by another dictator (Zia) and brought to new heights by Nawaz Sharif.

I think the Bhutto/Musharraf alliance may lead to the inditment of certain individuals in Pakistan on grounds of treason, a devisive weapon yet to be deployed.

An intereting article on where Pakistans problems stem from here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/...ld/2173818.stm

[Riadach]

Elements of the ISI being involved is not beyond the realms of possibility. But it has been cited that the bomb was a suicide attack - not a tool members of the ISI would have easy access too. Especially as the agency has been on the defencive in this current crises and taken casualties from extremist attacks itself.

Well you don't need to provide the personnel, just the weaponry, the opportunity and the target.

[QuizMaster]

Elements of the ISI being involved is not beyond the realms of possibility. But it has been cited that the bomb was a suicide attack - not a tool members of the ISI would have easy access too. Especially as the agency has been on the defencive in this current crises and taken casualties from extremist attacks itself.

Well you don't need to provide the personnel, just the weaponry, the opportunity and the target.

In fact just the opportunity.
You let it be known through "back channels" that she will be in a certain place at a certain time, with lighter than usual security.
The rest will happen on its own.

[Destiny's Soldier]

Elements of the ISI being involved is not beyond the realms of possibility. But it has been cited that the bomb was a suicide attack - not a tool members of the ISI would have easy access too. Especially as the agency has been on the defencive in this current crises and taken casualties from extremist attacks itself.

Well you don't need to provide the personnel, just the weaponry, the opportunity and the target.

I could make any one of you an unwitting suicide bomber.
Tell you to drive close to Bhutto in her convoy to prevent attacks and from the opposition getting near. Obviously I have you in a vehicle packed with C4 which you don't know about. When the moment is opportune, detonate the explosive remotely, get maximum casualties and you have become a suicide bomber, unable to deny you were a suicide bomber from beyond the grave.

This template has worked in Iraq and in Israel. Bob Fisk wrote all about it.

[Thac0man]

This template has worked in Iraq and in Israel. Bob Fisk wrote all about it.

Maybe Robert Fisk also did not read the Pakistani police statement that said the bomber ran towards the convoy.

[905]

My initial reaction to this news was horror at the death toll, and a little dissapointment that Bhutto survived. I know that horrible, but Ican't bring myself to like the woman. Between the corruption charges, which she's managed to worm out of, and the devil's pact with the good General she's just not pushing my buttons. At the end of the day though, they're our sons of bitches...
I was under the impression that most Islamic violence in the country was coming from the bandit country in the north-west, a permanent threat to peace but not likely to take over the country. Are they not more likely to be the cause of this than mainstream Islamic elements?

[Thac0man]

The media has lost sight of the fact that fighting in Waziristan (Bandit country) was started between locals and their 'guests', a situation Musharraf was quick to exploit and helped bring about. The wider problem though stems from the policies of Islamicistaion laid down by General Zia, the previous dictator.

Under his rule the Madrass throughout Pakistan were made militant and the constitution was made subservient to Sharia law. Redressing that issue and problems that have developed from it are now the obsticle. Pakistan is not free to act in its own interests in the eyes of Islamists, whose influences and opinions are broadly dicatated by events beyond Pakistans borders as far as I can see.

[youngdan]

If Robert Fisk was reading this he would agree that police have never lied.

[Thac0man]

If Robert Fisk was reading this he would agree that police have never lied.

More sitting on the fence.