I was not surprised but I was not expecting to start my day like this. Pakistan is going to be a mess. Obviously, Bhutto was the target, and the others are collateral, but I didn’t want to minimize all of the lives lost in this action.
RAWALPINDI, [1]Pakistan [2] —Fox News- Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a homicide attack that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally.Bhutto was shot in the neck and chest as she was entering her vehicle, and then the bomber blew himself up, FOX News has confirmed.The former prime minister died in Rawalpindi General Hospital, where she had been rushed to surgery. She was 54.”At 6:16 p.m. she expired,” said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto’s party who was at the hospital.Her supporters at the hospital began chanting “Dog, Musharraf, dog,” referring to Pakistan [2]’s president, Pervez Musharraf.
I’m way too sensitive, and access to the "global community" is difficult for me because it hurts to hear about death. 21 people. Lives, families, futures devastated. On top of that, a person that was in a position to help unify and build a country torn apart over the years is dead in the mess. Who will follow and fill in the gap she will leave?
Nothing was left to chance by the attackers on this one, either. Shot and blown-up. As I write this, I’m hearing on the radio that Al Qaeda is claiming responsibility. Fred Thompson speculated their involvement about 15 minutes prior to this announcement (he’s being interviewed on WHO Radio this morning on Jan Mickelson’s show).
I’m afraid this is going to lead to public uproar in Pakistan. Musharraf has already put the country’s security forces on alert, and I bet it’s only a matter of hours or days before we suspend the Pakistani constitution again. My friend Bithead says he thinks that Musharraf is not behind the attack (I would agree) and that Musharraf did not want this (to which I’m not sure I agree). Regardless, stability is shot for a while, which is Al Qaeda’s goal, and drastic action will be required to manage the country. I don’t think suspending the constitution is the answer, but I also don’t know enough about the culture and situation to say I know the answer. However, a conciliatory attitude by the Pakistani president could help.
Worse yet will be the risk of the US being dragged into this affair. I pray we can maintain an advisory role as the Pakistani government recovers. Let us all pray for these people.
Fox News has substantial coverage at their web site [3], as does Memeorandum [4]. Thanks to Bitsblog [5] for the initial story content from Fox News. Others blogging include Michelle Malkin [6], Jules Crittenden [7], as well as Stomp Swampers Sister Toldjah [8] and Blue Crab Blvd [9].
Update:
Via Memeorandum [10]:
[11] CNN Political Ticker [12]:
Presidential candidates react to Bhutto [13]
2nd Update:
CNN reports that no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack that killed Bhutto. – 12/27/07 23:00.