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

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

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is on BBC now, in a press conference in Kabul.

He said he met with Bhutto this morning and found her to be "a very very brave woman." He keeps referring to the cowardice and brutality of her killers.

He also said she had been "martyred." The use of this word is important. I think we will hear it again. And again.

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 10:51:17 AM EST

Re: Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack (4.00 / 3)

I can't decide if using that word is a good thing, in that it turns extremist language against the extremists, or a bad thing, in that it continues the destructive language that we really need to do away with. I'm inclined to think it's the latter.

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 10:54:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Benazir Bhutto killed in suicide attack (4.00 / 3)

Yeah, I'm of two minds about it. It is meaningful to a certain constituency, and that's important. But then, as in Lebanon, you start to build this culture of martyrdom, where each side near-deifies its own "martyrs," and in a polarized and highly charged atmosphere, it just contributes to the downward spiral.

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 10:58:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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

I think it likely results in scoring political points for the moment at a cost of further destabilization in the long run, which is, I think, what you were getting at with mention of the culture of martyrdom. It's dangerous.

Now, granted, I'm thankful to not have Hamid Karzai's job.

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 11:19:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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

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