Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack | 120 comments (120 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack (4.00 / 4)

I think the US will use this to get troops within Pakistani borders. Yesterday there was this article:
U.S. Troops to Head to Pakistan - Early Warning

Beginning early next year, U.S. Special Forces are expected to vastly expand their presence in Pakistan, as part of an effort to train and support indigenous counter-insurgency forces and clandestine counterterrorism units, according to defense officials involved with the planning.

The struggle of man against tyranny is the struggle of memory against forgetting.(Kundera)

by Elco B (elcob at scarlet dot be) on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 09:34:28 AM EST

Re: Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack (none / 1)

What, in god's name, for? Do they need MORE chaos? Can't the 'stanis provide their own experts in violence and death? Surely they know how to torture just as well or better than the Americans.
Can't we find a really big pit, hole, mine or whatever where everyone who takes themselves too seriously too often can go throw themselves and leave the rest of us poor suckers alone?

by Andhakari on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 09:49:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack (4.00 / 5)

Andhakari:

What, in god's name, for? Do they need MORE chaos?

Do you even need to ask?

I'm hoping this isn't a Gavrilo Princip moment.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 09:55:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack (4.00 / 2)

I'm hoping this isn't a Gavrilo Princip moment.

That's crossed my mind, too. It's been mentioned by the Kossacks, but I didn't think much of it given their sensationalist tendencies. It does kind of have the feel of that potential, though, but perhaps that's just a result of my inability to gauge what it means in the big picture.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 10:24:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack (4.00 / 2)

That's because they were expecting Bhutto to win the elections and open the doors to them.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 06:03:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

This is a find (4.00 / 4)

That is very relevant to the US-Bhutto connection. Bhutto was to be the political enabler, making the official invitation, while the Pentagon was already planning to send the US troops in.

This is an escalation of degree that goes far beyond the previous US air-attacks on the country.

It also means the US was going to knife Musharraf in the back, once Bhutto was in. Maybe he saw it coming. Maybe others saw it to. I can see the list of people who wanted Bhutto dead growing by the hour.

Meanwhile: A serious setback to US policy: Who can they get now to invite US troops into the country?

Maybe they will just go in anyway.

But this is going to cost. In more ways than one.

The Fates are kind.

by Gaianne on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 09:22:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This is a find (4.00 / 2)

Well, I am not sure whether Bhutto or Musharraf are more convenient to this US administration. Washington might be getting exactly what it wants, like probably in Iraq... It happened just in time for Iowa voters to be reminded about terror, terror... All GOP candidates there knew exactly what to say.

It's all sad that this Bhutto saga was kind of expected. But only cynics in power seem to know what to do in this shock, and how to do it.

by das monde on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 09:43:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

A good point about the Iowa voters (4.00 / 2)

Meanwhile, the US is back to dealing with Musharraf, which is where they started. He doesn't get much choice either, despite the attempt to destroy him.

But I don't expect him to last long now.

It looks like the US will be opening another front in its endless war, one way or another.

The Fates are kind.

by Gaianne on Fri Dec 28th, 2007 at 12:02:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack | 120 comments (120 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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