Musharraf: Bhutto Responsible For Own Death
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in The War On Terrorism, The WorldThe logic at work here is breathtaking…
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf conceded that a gunman may have shot Benazir Bhutto but said the opposition leader exposed herself to danger and bore responsibility for her death, CBS News said on Saturday.Musharraf was also quoted as telling the CBS “60 Minutes” program to be broadcast on Sunday that his government did everything it could to provide security for Bhutto, who was killed last week in a gun and suicide-bomb attack after a political rally.
“For standing up outside the car, I think it was she to blame alone. Nobody else. Responsibility is hers,” Musharraf said in the interview taped on Saturday morning.
If you really parse through that statement what you’ll find he’s saying is that it’s so dangerous for dissenting voices in Pakistan that somebody can’t even stand around in public and not get killed. I’m sorry, but did Bhutto create that atmosphere? If anybody bears responsibility for the current climate it’s Musharraf himself because he’s been running the country for 9 years now. Folks, this guy came into power via military coup. If he wanted to crack down on extremists, he has the resources to do it. But he hasn’t. And for him to suggest she was responsible for his government’s woeful inaction is beyond the pale.
Her blood is on his hands.
This entry was posted on Sunday, January 6th, 2008 and is filed under The War On Terrorism, The World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
January 6th, 2008 at 8:20 am
I’d like to think that the situation in Pakistan couldn’t possibly get more complicated. But at this point such a prospect seems idealistic.
January 6th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Come on dude. First of all Musharaff said that, “For standing up outside the car, I think it was she to blame alone. Nobody else. Responsibility is hers” I happen to agree with that particular statement. Al-queda is to blame for her assassination, her blood is on their hands. Musharaff didn’t kill her.
Bhutto has always been known to hold these impromptu political rallies where she is seen amongst the people, in a crowd, kissing babies. Like a cover-shot right out of “Populist Revolutionary Quarterly.” Pakistan is a third world country, its like the wild west out there, and She knew that. She never asked to have a Pope-Mobile sent to her, or to have the Pakistani military cordon off the crowd – that would make her look elitist, or like a sell-out. In the end, she was foolish, admit it.
None-the-less, Bhutto didn’t deserve to be assassinated, nor was she or Musharraf directly responsible for her killing. The gunmen are to blame.
January 6th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I agree Jimmy. Common sense was apparently not her friend and I don’t see how that is Musharaff’s fault.
“If he wanted to crack down on extremists, he has the resources to do it.” — That statement should come with some kind of supporting facts and analysis, because at the very least it is arguable that Musharaff can not in fact control parts of his country without plunging it into civil war.
January 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
The other newsworthy information is that U.S. intelligence had warned Bhutto of an assassination plot and suggested she’d beef up her security. Neither her, nor her husband or those close to her took it to heart.
Once you are warned of a threat and you ignore it, some of the responsability lies with you.
No doubt, there is no justification for those that planned and executed the plot.
January 7th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
The other newsworthy information is that U.S. intelligence had warned Bhutto of an assassination plot and suggested she’d beef up her security. Neither her, nor her husband or those close to her took it to heart.
Once you are warned of a threat and choose to ignore it, some of the responsability lies with you.
No doubt, there is no justification for those that planned and executed the plot.