Pakistan opposition leader Bhutto killed...

[UKBLUE1964]

Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a suicide bombing that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally, a party aide and a military official said.

 

"At 6:16 p.m. she expired," said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto's party who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital where she was taken after the attack.

 

Benazir Bhutto Killed

[UKBLUE1964]

This is a major blow for the US. She was thought to be someone The American government could work with, especially with the War against Terror.

[The Observer]

Wow, I guessed they tried enough times, eventually they were going to get her. Very unfortunate.

[bugatti]

Wow, she just spoke at Murray State a few months back.

 

RIP.

[SportsGuy41017]

I am sure Musharraf is at least in part behind this, wonders what her supporters will do now.

[gchs_uk9]

This is the least surprising news story of the year. It just seemed inevitable that she would be taken out, presumably by Musharraf or one of his followers. Sad to hear.

[HHSDad]

BREAKING NEWS

MSNBC News Services

updated 57 minutes ago

 

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan - Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a suicide bombing that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally, a party aide and a military official said.

 

The death of the charismatic former prime minister threw the campaign for the Jan. 8 election into chaos and created fears of mass protests and an eruption of violence across the volatile south Asian nation, which has nuclear weapons and a support base for Muslim extremists.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22406555/?gt1=10645

[colonel-fan]

Wow.

 

This is going to be interesting...

 

 

 

From the BBC:

 

Benazir Bhutto killed in attack

[PepRock01]

http://www.bluegrasspreps.com/showthread.php?t=139503

[The Professor]

Big blow for democracy in that country. Sad news.

Pakistan is a scary situation. The country has over 100 nuclear missiles, the only Islamic country to have nuclear weapons.

Even if Musharraf didn't have anything to do with this, it could be random, the perception will be that he did. Plus, he wasn't able to prevent it.

[PepRock01]

Big blow for democracy in that country. Sad news.

Pakistan is a scary situation. The country has over 100 nuclear missiles, the only Islamic country to have nuclear weapons.

Even if Musharraf didn't have anything to do with this, it could be random, the perception will be that he did. Plus, he wasn't able to prevent it.

 

 

So the question is, which is worse?

 

Eliminating a political rival in said fashion OR inability to prevent such a thing from happenening.

 

I would personally rather this be a cold elimination of a political rival, simply because whether I like Musharraf or not I'd rather he be able to control this sort of thing in his own country.

[HHSDad]

How long before all of SW Asia collapses?

[SportsGuy41017]

Plus, he wasn't able to prevent it.

 

Her security detail was reduced, right after she asked to have international security experts help guard her, which was denied.

 

I think he could have made it a lot tougher to get to her is he wanted to. But they are now saying that another opposition group killed members of Musharraf party as well.

 

Reports are that she didn't die of any possible injuries at the bombing, it was when she was in her car driving away with her "security" that someone shot her in the neck.

 

Very dangerous to have that country this unstable, don't need the fanatical groups in there, as was stated above, they have nukes.

[TomSportsHack]

Her security detail was reduced, right after she asked to have international security experts help guard her, which was denied.

 

Reports are that she didn't die of any possible injuries at the bombing, it was when she was in her car driving away with her "security" that someone shot her in the neck.

 

The bomber's accomplices (2 guys with AK-47s) reportedly started shooting before he blew himself up, and a spokesman for her political party said the bomber was shooting as well according to The Times of London. There's no telling when she might have been shot. For that reason, I think you need to post a link to where you got the information.

[UKPat02]

How long before all of SW Asia collapses?

 

Not long. If this turns into a civil war it could easily draw in Iran and Russia and make a mess of things quickly.

 

I'd say its not long before an attempt is made on Musharraff.