Bhutto Assassinated
Suicide bomb kills Benazir Bhutto. More questions than answers No peaceful transition to civilian leadership for Pakistan, with the murder of a major popular pro-American secularist. Questions:
Jihadis, ISI, or some combination?
Does this unite them against jihadis or just further fragment Pakistan to the jihadis benefit?
Does the election even go ahead, or is it straight to martial law? Short-term or long-term suspension, and in the event of an election, who rises?
If they buy the “dog Musharraf dog” line, or if it’s true, how bloody will the demonstrations be, and will they lead to a coup? If there’s a coup, who and what ends up on top?
No good answers to any of that yet. I have a very bad feeling about all of this. The potential for critically destablizing a flank that was difficult enough as it was, is huge. I’d feel slightly better if Rumsfeld had doubled the size of the Army, and wish Bush and Congress would crank that up. This war is far from over. This war is no artificial Bush creation or figment of anyone’s imagination, and should still be very much part of our own election, wishful thinking notwithstanding.
Gateway round up here.
Pajamas roundup here.
Stratfor suspect jihadis with a government assist:
Given the modus operandi, it is likely the work of jihadists linked with the Taliban and/or al Qaeda. This assassination could not have been possible without the jihadists being enabled by elements within the government because both the jihadists and many within the regime fear the possibility of Bhutto‘s party emerging strong in the Jan. 8 polls. This attack further highlights the murky links between Islamist militants and elements within the Pakistani security/intelligence establishment.
Bhutto’s death will trigger a serious backlash in the form of violence and unrest in the country, which could derail the polls, which the opposition is claiming will be rigged by the establishment. The unrest and violence following her death could also lead to the imposition of martial law.
Prior:
Pak It Up, election/emergency background and context re Bhutto, Musharraf etal.
BBC Bhutto bio, background links. Harvard-educated. Her father, a former prime minister, was hanged by the military dictator Zia Ul-Haq. She became prime minister in 1988 in free elections after ul-Haq’s death in a suspicious plane crash. In and out of office in the early ’90s when hit with corruption charges, an common tool of ouster in Pakistan. She finally returned to Pakistan in October after nine years in exile in Dubai, and was greeted by two jihadi bombs that killed more than 100 people but narrowly missed her. She was prepared to be killed in the process of seeking democratic leadership of Pakistan.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:04 am on Thursday, December 27, 2007
30 Responses to “Bhutto Assassinated”
Leave a Reply
Trackback URLYou must be logged in to post a comment.
December 27th, 2007 at 9:23 am
Things are about to get real messy. Restarting the draft may be a good start because the Islamic War that we have been ‘playing at’ is going to erupt soon and the west are not prepared for it.
December 27th, 2007 at 9:29 am
[...] Roundup and updates here, here and here. [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 9:36 am
[...] Instapundit, Jules Crittenden smells Islamists behind this and I don’t see any reason to disagree. I think it’s very likely that the Islamists got [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 9:47 am
[...] reactions: Left Behind, Jules Crittenden, Human Voices, JammieWearingFool, BitsBlog, CALIFORNIA YANKEE, Donklephant, Scared Monkeys and [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Suicide Bombing at Bhutto Rally; Bhutto Critical?
This is curious that she reportedly died from a bullet wound, likely meaning the suicide bomber may not have caused the wound and she was shot by someone else.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:50 am
[...] Jules Crittenden has a big roundup. [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 11:03 am
With a nation rife with anti-Western youth, nukes, an unstable government, and now this tragic assassination, I don’t know what everyone’s freaking out about.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:03 am
[...] Jules Crittenden has more links and insights on the fallout of Bhutto’s assassination. He suspects that this assassination was a collaborative act between al-Qaeda and Taliban linked [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 11:27 am
In and out of office in the early ’90s when hit with corruption charges, an common tool of ouster in Pakistan.
At the time, as I recall, the bribe taking accusations against Benazir Bhutto and her husband were not considered to be contrived or made up.
According to press reports, she was outside Pakistan at the time of the conviction on corruption charges and chose not to return to the country.
Last year, in some US sponsored effort to save Musharraf and stability, she returned to Pakistan, on which day some 140 people at the rally were killed in a probable attempt to kill her then.
It reminds me of a tactic in use in Lebanon, to assassinate any individual who might establish a government based in cooperation with “the west” and some semblance of democracy.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:33 am
Last year
Correction, not last year (yet).
Several months ago.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:47 am
[...] Jules Crittenden » Bhutto Assassinated No good answers to any of that yet. I have a very bad feeling about all of this. The potential for [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Wow, I reckon Krumm says it all: “Pakistan’s Archduke Ferdinand”…
While the West is smarter than we were in 1914, unfortunately we are not the only player here. Islam has been spoiling for a big fight since, well, pick any historical marker, Six Day War, 72 Olympics, Suez Crisis, creation of Israel, Arab Revolt, Gates of Vienna, etc. Here’s hoping the Western left will come to its senses and either come in on the correct side or shut up and butt the hell out. As Theo alludes, if the draft comes back, they won’t have any choice.
Much as I hate to say it, a Democrat president might be the best way to go as they seem to be the only ones allowed to wage American war with relative impunity (they are always well meaning liberals who are ‘forced” into it), and that bald fact would drag in a bunch of talent (media, academia, entertainment) that would otherwise be wasted advocating “peace” and wanking about redistributionist domestic policy if the GOP were in charge.
December 27th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Thuis does not portent well.
http://susankatzkeating.blogspot.com/2007/12/bhutto-assasination-instant-reax.html
December 27th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
[...] Jules Crittenden asks all the right questions: Jihadis, ISI, or some combination? [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
[...] questions and explains why this is a huge deal in The Long War against Islamic Totalitarianism: Bhutto Assassinated No peaceful transition to civilian leadership for Pakistan, with the murder of a major popular [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
“In and out of office in the early ’90s when hit with corruption charges, an common tool of ouster in Pakistan.”
tanstaafl: “At the time, as I recall, the bribe taking accusations against Benazir Bhutto and her husband were not considered to be contrived or made up.”
It’s not so much a matter of fabricated charges, but of a basic Catch 22. In a corrupt system, you can’t reach the upper echelons of government without making & taking bribes along the way, but it leaves you vulnerable to anyone with the muscle to bring charges against you when you get there.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Bhutto assassinated! (BREAKING)
Bhutto is dead… and what’s this going to happen in Pakistan? Another state of emergency? UPDATE - Probably the best round up of news at the moment is over at Pajama Media… Although, this story will probably have repercussions over the next several…
December 27th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
you can’t reach the upper echelons of government without making & taking bribes along the way, but it leaves you vulnerable to anyone with the muscle to bring charges against you when you get there.
Benazir Bhutto’s family is/was extremely wealthy and prominent in Pakistan. Her father served as Prime Minister before her (2) terms.
The bribe taking charges were not substantially disputed by B. Bhutto. She simply never returned to Pakistan until a few months ago.
I simply rejected the allusion (in the statement I quoted) that she and her husband (another long story, as I recall) were not authentically involved in bribery/corruption in the…early 1990’s ?
December 27th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
tanstaafl:
I didn’t mean to dispute your point on the reality of Bhutto’s malfeasance. I was just commenting on the reason that corruption charges are a “common tool of ouster.” When corruption is endemic, almost everyone is vulnerable to attack on that basis.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
[...] has roundups? Jules Crittendon. Pajamas. [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Severe blow to hope for stability
BBC
Life in pictures: Benazir Bhutto
BBC
December 27th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
“I’d feel slightly better if Rumsfeld had doubled the size of the Army, and wish Bush and Congress would crank that up.”
Well, get your flabby ass down to your local recruiters’ office, dude. I’m certain he/she will be very glad to see you.
While you’re at it, take a dozen of your most beligerent wingnut fans with you. Money talks, bullshit walks.
December 27th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Ooooooo, another tough one…huh?
I take by the picture on your slutsite that you are a man..but then one never knows…as big a load of shit that, that picture makes you seem…you may always have to be on the bottom…OR bent over.
December 27th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Disraeli’s words to the effect that “Assassination has never changed the history of the world” will, in a few short weeks or months, be stricken from the lists of “quotables”. (Archduke Ferdinand notwithstanding — the Great War was inevitable, assassination was not the cause — merely the touch of the slowmatch to an already primed cannon)
This assassination will insert itself more profoundly and more quickly into world affairs than any that came before.
Whether Bhutto rests in peace or not, I, for one, shall sleep less soundly.
December 27th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
You bugger, you..Floss. You never mentioned that you had a Blog…LOL.
BTW, I agree with your assessment…(with my peon words) Things could get a TAD sticky and soon.
BUT….Better NOW, then our children and grand children’s time period. We have lived, ‘they’ are about to begin their journey through life.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
[...] Jules Crittenden has a round-up trying to find the answer: Who killed Bhutto? [...]
December 28th, 2007 at 12:02 am
Muslims blowing other Muslims up.
How unusual.
December 28th, 2007 at 1:45 am
VotC, “Much as I hate to say it, a Democrat president might be the best way to go as they seem to be the only ones allowed to wage American war with relative impunity (they are always well meaning liberals who are ‘forced” into it)…”
Were they to gain the presidency, given the current state of the party, we would have a reprise of Vietnam for real. The Democratic warriors are being driven out of the party and are only two or three at the most. This cadre of Democratic warriors no longer includes Lieberman who is becoming independent in action as well as political affiliation.
December 28th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Mike, could not agree more. Their best warriors were a university president, a guy in a wheelchair and a hat salesman, all long dead. I’m just saying that the only chief executive who would be given a broad mandate to go to full mobilization and resultant war by the electorate would be a Dem, not because he/she would fight the best fight, but because their motives for fighting would be construed as “pure”. I mean how could a Dem be construed to be colluding with big business? They are on the side of the “little guy”, right?. I know it was a Dem administration who awarded a no-bid contract to Haliburton and I know Dems got half a million “little guys” killed in “their” wars since 1918 (my family chipped in one of them). But its not what you do, its what you say, and I opine that is the sad fact of American politics and America at war.
December 28th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
S’truth VotC, S’truth!