Pakistan's Bhutto assassinated in gun, bomb attack

[Jedi]

I never get a warm and fuzzy feeling about the instability in Pakistan. There is nothing worse than a rogue nuclear country.
http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?...75111720071227

Summary:
After leaving a political rally, Bhutto was shot at by the attacker who then detonated the explosives, mortally wounding Bhutto and killing 12 others.

[copelandamuffy]

Can you spell BASTARDS who are behind this, and attacked this woman

[bpdblue]

Things like this killing makes me think how lucky we are to be AMERICAN citizens (for those of us who are, that belong to this forum).

Can you imagine what it's like to live in places like that.

I can understand how people from all over the world came to our little slice of heaven since this country came into being in 1776, with a then population of approx 3 MILLION, to our current population of over 300 MILLION.

We (all free people, from around the world) have to keep up reasonable pressure on the governments of those places that dominate their own people, to help them with the ideals of freedom, from our position of strength, which lets them know we will work with them, but that they have to treat their own people with respect, and with personal rights, before they will ever be treated equally by the free world.

[Bill Warnock]

bpdblue, that was well written. You have no idea of how it feels when you feel the wheels screech making contact with the concrete, you know you're back in the USA. I spent five of my ten years of Air Force enlisted service overseas. I've been stationed in places that forbad American TV or Radio for fear the local population might get new ideas. Stars and Stripes Newspapers and other reading materials were not allowed off the base. The local population was terrified of their governments.
Now in that far off land, an American and British educated lady who wanted to give her people a taste of freedom has been taken away from them.
We should all strive to keep in mind our freedoms continue to come at a very high price.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[echo06]

Im thinkin ,I would have stayed down in the armored truck. Standing up and waving through the sun roof (knowing your a target) is not a smart move. Who is or was in charge of Her security and well being?

I just watched an interview with Her not to long ago on TV.

Very sad!!

[Dayanx]

see if she was in the popemobile she wouldn't have been aced. At least not in that fashion.

[craig333]

Keeping your head up in that situation is crazy. Its really hard to tell from the footage I've seen, but it doesn't look like her (was it hers) security detail acted in proper fashion at all.

[officerchick]

Keeping your head up in that situation is crazy. Its really hard to tell from the footage I've seen, but it doesn't look like her (was it hers) security detail acted in proper fashion at all.

From what I understand, that was a major concern of hers. IIRC the detail was provided by Pres. Musharraf, and Bhutto expressed great concern about the quality of the security provided, going so far as to state before her assasination (duh) that if she were to be killed it would be at least in part on his hands due to the security provided.

As to her standing up, I saw an interview with someone who was a friend to Bhutto, don't recall who, who said that her appeal lay largely in her accessability to the 'people' and that, even with the security concerns she still wished to maintain that openness. She apparently felt stifled by the security, although she knew the danger of the situation.

Either way, it is a tragic loss of a democratic pioneer and leader. RIP

[echo06]

Now she is "accessable" to those who want to visit her gravesite. Be careful what you wish for I guess.

[officerchick]

Now she is "accessable" to those who want to visit her gravesite. Be careful what you wish for I guess.

Sadly, that's true. Now her 19 yo son is the "official" leader of the party, although he's still in college, in order to maintain the dynasty. Her husband is the effective leader though. It will be interesting to watch how this all shapes up over time.

Personally, I'm surprised the opposition parties are insisting on the elections being held as scheduled, instead of wanting time to regroup.

[Dayanx]

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/fore...ear_threat.php

US special forces snatch squads are on standby to seize or disable Pakistan's nuclear arsenal in the event of a collapse of government authority or the outbreak of civil war following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

The troops, augmented by volunteer scientists from America's Nuclear Emergency Search Team organisation, are under orders to take control of an estimated 60 warheads dispersed around six to 10 high-security Pakistani military bases.

Military sources say contingency plans have been reviewed over the past three days to prevent any of Pakistan's atomic weapons falling into the hands of Islamic extremists if the administration of President Pervez Musharraf appears threatened by civil unrest.

Some of the special forces are already believed to be in neighbouring Afghanistan and on alert for the mission. It is also understood that satellite surveillance of Pakistan has been stepped up to keep track of the possible movement of nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems.

According to a US Congressional report published in November, Pakistan's nuclear deterrent consists of warheads for missiles and bombs dropped from aircraft.

To maintain security, the weapons are not stored fully-assembled. Warheads, detonators and missiles are kept separately, but able to be married up "fairly quickly" in the event of a national crisis such as confrontation with India.

While the US has stated publicly its confidence that Pakistan's military has the weapons "under effective technical control", Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice admitted two years ago that if there was a radical Islamic coup, the US was "prepared to try to deal with it".

Internal security at Pakistan's nuclear storage sites is the responsibility of a 10,000-man security force commanded by a two-star general. Every member of the force is vetted with the aim of weeding out sympathisers of the Taliban and al Qaeda or anyone with extreme Islamic views.

US diplomatic and military initiatives since 2001 have concentrated on trying to ensure that pro-western commanders were in charge at the most sensitive sites.

There has also been pressure to keep Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency, thought to contain a number of high-ranking pro-Taliban supporters, out of the nuclear loop.

[craig333]

Its that "try" part thats pretty scary. Would it be a successful mission if retrieved 90% of the bombs? That won't be a fun mission. Regardless of their sympathies I doubt they'll welcome an american commando team with open arms.