Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto Assassinated

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto Assassinated at Rally in Pakistan

Former Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto, the first ever woman leader of a Muslim country, was assassinated in Pakistan today. She hoped to be elected Prime Minister in January after years in exile. This video includes clips of Bhutto discussing her father’s execution, her own safety and includes footage of her final moments.

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Update on Friday, December 28, 2007 at 11:39AM by Amy Proctor

A little discouraging are some of the comments coming from a few Republican pundits. Laura Ingram sat in for Bill O’Reilly last night and her questions were terribly ignorant. A couple of her points:

• why aren’t Muslims protesting the assassination around the world?
• why aren’t Muslims standing against this extremism if it is contradictory to their religion?

Um, they are and they are.

I’m not sure what news coverage Ingram is watching but from the moment of the assassination Pakistanis protested.  Before we in the West start judging other cultures from our posh television studios and comfortable homes, we ought to judge our own nation first. How many Americans would protest in a crowd knowing its an invitation for al-Qaeda suicide bombers to make an appearance at our rally?

Why do we think al-Qaeda targets civilians? To keep them in fear so they won’t speak out.

And yet Muslims speak out anyway, just as Benazir Bhutto did, or throngs of citizens in Iraq have, as have millions of Muslims around the world. I wonder if Laura Ingram would take to the streets if it means al-Qaeda might behead her children.

And before we judge another country's emotional outbursts, maybe we should consider our own.

Comments

[Gayle]

Hi, Amy. I came over here to wish you a belated Merry Christmas, and will still do that, although this does put a damper on my spirits. I'm not posting yet, girlfriend. Still have company and will until around the 5th or 6th of January.

It seems the death of this woman could have been prevented. The people are very angry with Musharif for not providing her with adequate protection.

[Aimz]

I read this news story this morning. I'd be angry about her death if it was me in an undemocratic country too.

[Karen]

What a shame... she seemed like such a bright and noble lady

[R]

Sadly, this event was predictable based on the current regime's lack of security services and the radical Islamic elements in the country. Hopefully it will mobilize the civilized members of their society to rally for a more democratic nation so her death would not have been in vain.

[Leticia]

I was rather saddened by her death. I truly believed she could have made a significant difference for Pakistan.

I have heard that she was requesting the same rights as prior Prime Ministers for protection, and did not receive it.

I have also heard that it may have been shrapnel that killed her. No matter how she died, it is very tragic.

[Goat]

This is bad news indeed, mostly for the takfiri jihadists, murdering popular leaders has not been a productive tactic for them in the past, this will backfire badly on AQ and the Taliban. It was only a matter of time as reckless as she was being in that nutso country, she is now a serious martyr for the people though. The next few months will be very interesting for sure. We are living in historic times my friend.
I will post your video and send a link back.

[Amy Proctor]

Goat, you actually make a good point. Just as the people of Iraq have rejected al-Qaeda because of these tactics, so are the Pakistanis.

One thing that strikes me has always been all the male supporters Bhutto had. Her rallies were packed with men who were very enthusiastic about her candidacy. I think this speaks well for the future of the country and the direction it will inevitably take. The Taliban, of course, completely rejects women in these sorts of roles yet Bhutto had enormous support.

She is indeed a martyr. The jerk who blew himself and others up is not. He's a heretic and apostate who just sent himself straight to hell. This is the danger of the bad theology we see within the Muslim world with al-Qaeda and terrorists; they not only kill the body, but they damn the soul.