Pakistan: Why the future must not tolerate extremists

[Blondertong]

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/pau ... istan.html

Even if the assassination of Benazir Bhutto was not carried out by Al Qaida it is certain that these horrid events in Pakistan, that have now placed that country on a terrible precipice of despair, can be linked to religion. Religion had its roots in the attack, as most attacks of this kind do. What can I think of but Christopher Hitchens and his views in regard to violence and religion. I'm new here, but I'm diving right in: what do you think of the whole thing?

[McQ]

I'm not sure what to make of this yet. But I have to ask, who didn't[/b] see this coming? I mean, for Pete's sake, she was a dead woman the minute she stepped foot back in the country! Why not better security for herself? Did she think they were just going to let her waltz in and challenge Musharraf? I know this is armchair quarterbacking, but I've been calling this one for months.

This just sucks.

I had a lot of respect for Bhutto, going way back to when she was PM. I thought she could have brought Pakistan back to civilization. Guess I was wrong.

Big trouble. That what this is.

[Blondertong]

Oh I agree. Honestly its taken me a while to look into the whole situation but it really just makes my skin crawl. I mean, is it really getting better? I don't think it is. The violence perpetuated in such places seems to be strengthening even as we try to ignore it all.

And as for Pakistan - as much as we may cry for Democracy Musharraf may be what the country needs right now. Anyone who speaks against extremism has to be worth something over there. I mean I just don't want to think about who would be elected democratically in Pakistan.

[SteveS]

I read a big spread in the Chicago Tribune this morning about this Pakistan/Bhutto business ... and I agree, this is all terribly depressing.  The best thing about the whole situation is that the article claims the assassination could be used to demonstrate that the largest threat to Pakistan is not India but rather the militant Islamics within their own nation.  Whether or not the populace will understand or agree with this sentiment, though, seems highly questionable to me.  Why blame yourself when you can blame someone else?

Honestly, reading about all this instability in the world highly depresses me.  What chance do we really have with all this lunacy in the world?

[MeryMer]

I truly hope that this opens the eyes of most of the world's moderates to the dangers of extremists in their own country.

I am truly saddened by her death and unfortunately, I think it will only make the extremists more willing to strap bombs to their children and not mobilize the rationals in power.

[pagan1]

what does religion have to do with it?pakistan is an ethnically divided,impoverished orphan of the british raj,desperate people will do desperate things.al qaeda,otherwise known as the worlds most recent boogeyman or praxis of evil is a symptom not the disease.when western nations send their children into harms way,isn't this a statement of how far they are prepared to go for their economic...otherwse known as religious beliefs?a suicide bomber or a combat soldier both spin the roulette wheel of fate,it is just that one has a more certain bet.until the wealth is spread more evenly,and until there is an awareness of what we share in common with each other rather than what divides us,there will always be prophets of doom and revenge.I think that religion is little more than a sickness,and that only after a long period of evolution will we be able to cure ourselves of the extremist disease.

[bitter_sweet_symphony]

I think making Bilawal Bhutto the chairman of PPP is an even worse tragedy. Bilawal Bhutto is 19 year old and his only claim to fame is that he is the son of Benazir Bhutto. Unfortunately people of Pakistan, it seems, votes not for ideologies or even personalities, but families.

My heart goes out for the people in Pakistan. Until recently, most of them were in denial that terrorists were not operating from within Pakistan. Sadly, that has been proved false and they face a formidable task of bringing their country out of this mess. It is the time for moderates to speak out and take a stand.

[McQ]

I think making Bilawal Bhutto the chairman of PPP is an even worse tragedy. Bilawal Bhutto is 19 year old and his only claim to fame is that he is the son of Benazir Bhutto. Unfortunately people of Pakistan, it seems, votes not for ideologies or even personalities, but families.

My heart goes out for the people in Pakistan. Until recently, most of them were in denial that terrorists were not operating from within Pakistan. Sadly, that has been proved false and they face a formidable task of bringing their country out of this mess. It is the time for moderates to speak out and take a stand.

Don't forget though, that Benzir was hand picked by her daddy to do the same thing. He made sure she got a good American Ivy League education, with all the trimmings, and she was groomed for politics. They're doing the same thing again, only this time she was killed before he even got his education.

[bitter_sweet_symphony]

Don't forget though, that Benzir was hand picked by her daddy to do the same thing. He made sure she got a good American Ivy League education, with all the trimmings, and she was groomed for politics. They're doing the same thing again, only this time she was killed before he even got his education.
   

Yes, but I had hoped that things would be different after 30 years. And Bilawal is just 19 year old and has absolutely no experience in politics. I doubt if he even remembers Pakistan as he was in Dubai since 1998. I am sure there were more experienced fellows in PPP to take over from Benazir.

[Julia]

Regardless of how well one grooms one's children for politics, the whole idea of handing over to them creates a smell of nepotism which is hard to erase - wherever it be on the scale from the ostensibly democratic Bushes right down to the undeniably dodgy Duvaliers in Haiti. It makes accusations of corruption much easier - as the Bhuttos found to their cost. And in tentative democracies it's liable to make things that much more unstable, as not only does it bring the idea of democracy into disrepute, there are surely a number of realistic candidates to succeed to the PPP leadership who are now no doubt feeling very aggrieved... and the last thing Pakistan needs is one of its main parties imploding.

[McQ]

To bitter sweet symph. and Julia.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am by no means saying that the type of transfer of power that the Bhuttos have done and are trying to do is a good way to transfer power. Just reminding that it has been done before, so it's not unusual. It has never been unusual, in fact. It has been the way power has been handed over/down more than any other way (aside from murdering one's leaders to take their spots).

Nepotism it is. It's been the same way worldwide for thousands of years. Again, it's not unusual. But it sure isn't the best way to have a succession of power.

[SteveS]

(aside from murdering one's leaders to take their spots)

Or, in the case of the Romans, murdering your husband so your son can become Emperor.  That was particularly lovely.

[bitter_sweet_symphony]

To bitter sweet symph. and Julia.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am by no means saying that the type of transfer of power that the Bhuttos have done and are trying to do is a good way to transfer power. Just reminding that it has been done before, so it's not unusual. It has never been unusual, in fact. It has been the way power has been handed over/down more than any other way (aside from murdering one's leaders to take their spots).

Nepotism it is. It's been the same way worldwide for thousands of years. Again, it's not unusual. But it sure isn't the best way to have a succession of power.
   

I didn't think you were saying it is ok. I was just saying that perhaps giving the reins of the party to Bilawal at this critical juncture is a worse decision than making Benazir the chairperson while she was in exile. It is stupid to even think that such a party will be able to fight the Taliban. These PPP guys can't even choose a proper leader and they will supposedly restore democracy in Pakistan.