Benazir Bhutto assassinated

[Open palm]

Today, December 27, 2007, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated while leading an opposition rally in Pakistan. She was the first female prime minister of Pakistan and had returned from self-imposed exile earlier in October. This is a grevious blow to democracy today. Regardless of the charges of corruption against her, Benazir Bhutto promoted democracy and peace. May she rest in paradise.

[Tanksleyd]

The precedent has been set: The one with the biggest gun (bomb) wins...John Wayne couldn't of said it better.

[Hypestyle]

terrible.. God bless the deceased..

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

I turned on the TV a few minutes ago and this was the first thing I saw. Bhutto truly had a steel will to barely escape a prior assassination attempt just months ago and still continue her fight for democracy in Pakistan.

As bad as the political discourse becomes during election time and even the period in-between; it is nice to know that it never degenerates to the level of murder in America.

[Tanksleyd]

Bobby Kennedy

[Reginald Hudlin]

Actually, two Kennedys, and a lot of black social activists...and those are the ones we know about.

Of course, most folks have got the message and stop short of actually trying to enact meaningful change because they know they will be killed for trying to help the world.  Most folks keep it safely in the "charity" lane because challenging the system will get you killed.

[Sam Wilson]

The precedent has been set: The one with the biggest gun (bomb) wins...John Wayne couldn't of said it better.

what the f*ck does that even mean?  Really?

A dumb ass statement like that hardly gives significance to the clusterf*ck that has been going on in pakistan for months now.  Years if you count when Muzshariff originally booted Bhutto out of office.  Shortly after the US invaded Afghanistan no one was missing Bhutto when Bush was ass f*cking Muzshariff to gain a tactical advantage, and now is ass f*cking him again because martial law in pakistan makes anyone associated with them look bad, like Bush, so he's going to beat on his democratic drum and remind everyone to vote in their general election NExt month, even though there is essentially one canidate.  But that doesn't matter, Bhutto's politics don't even matter because Democracy is the least of Pakistans problems...

Third world conditions, radical Islamic infighting, rampant disease and the fact there are places in Pakistan without power, runnning water and f*cking nintendo WII says people in the United States don't know jack f*ckall about what is happening because we are to busy sitting on our fat asses trying to decide if we want to go to Ruby Tuesdays and get the big fatburger or go to Dr. Greens and get a goddamn salad because our cholestorol is to f*cking high.  Those are problems unFANTHOMABLE to the young kid who walks around in no pants who weighs 20 lbs less than he should, is completly illiterate but is will to die and take a bunch of people out with him in the name of god, country and all he holds to be holy.

I am sick and goddamn tired of ignorant pontification everytime a world tragedy comes about, sometimes people need to realize their own agenda, in the greater scheme of things, means jack f*ckall and its better off to shut up rather needless throw rocks from your binary soapbox from the safety of your office chair.  Bah.

[Tanksleyd]

America is setting the example, again, that violence (John Wayne) is the supreme political power. I mean look at Saddam Hussein.

America could of set a better example of "civilization". But then the last 8 years haven't been good for civilization.

No that's not a "f*ck" statement, it very much is a political statement.

[Open palm]

American propoganda shows how much the U.S. government chooses its battles. While they spout the decrease in violence in Iraq, dictatorship in Uzbekistan continues. A former British diplomat tried to tell his government, and the world, of that country's oppression. But nobody does anything. The U.S. even consented to the Uzbek's request they remove their based forces. It wasn't strategically important enough to raise a stink.

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

America is setting the example, again, that violence (John Wayne) is the supreme political power. I mean look at Saddam Hussein.

America could of set a better example of "civilization". But then the last 8 years haven't been good for civilization.

No that's not a "f*ck" statement, it very much is a political statement.

How is America setting the example?

Bhutto's assassination is not only a manifestation of a political power struggle but also an aspect of the larger issue of Islamic Fundamentalism. As much as both the U.S. and the former Soviet Union have used the Middle East as their playground; many of the battles we see in the Middle East stem from factions trying to bring about a Caliphate and those trying to maintain a form of democratic government.

The nature of the conflict could be traced to both the Ayatollah Khomene overthrowing the Shaw and instituting Madrasas teaching a radical from of Islam and the assassination of Anwar Sadat.

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

Actually, two Kennedys, and a lot of black social activists...and those are the ones we know about.

Of course, most folks have got the message and stop short of actually trying to enact meaningful change because they know they will be killed for trying to help the world.  Most folks keep it safely in the "charity" lane because challenging the system will get you killed.

I should have qualified my statement.

When I talk about degenerating to that point I meant that during this election season any and everything will be fair game for candidates to use against each other: sex lives, investments, corruption etc.. No matter how vile these exchanges become none of the candidates will lose their lives over it.

At the beginning of 2009 there will be a peaceful transferance of power from Bush to his successor. When you consider what took place today that is no mean feat.

[Wise Son]

I saw Bhutto's brother interviewed on the BBC, and he was keeping it together, but you could tell he was seething underneath. How? He was out-and-out saying this was an assassination by the government's forces. You've got to be seriously pissed off to just come out and say that. The guy better watch his back, Musharaf doesn't play. I also saw that, in the wake of this, the leader of the other opposition party has boycotted the elections, so Sam's right, there will be literally one candidate in the election.

[Sam Wilson]

America is setting the example, again, that violence (John Wayne) is the supreme political power. I mean look at Saddam Hussein.

America could of set a better example of "civilization". But then the last 8 years haven't been good for civilization.

No that's not a "f*ck" statement, it very much is a political statement.

what? are we even speaking the same language? political about what?  Fine, you got a mad on for Bush Jr., but Jefferson summed up what happened best, the problems over in Pakistan were evident long before Bush's time, Pakistan itself was founded on religious conflict (between Hindus and muslims), to say what is happening is a direct result of the US's example is arrogant and small minded. 

And yeah, it is very much a f*ck statement.  Get over it.

[Reginald Hudlin]

Actually, two Kennedys, and a lot of black social activists...and those are the ones we know about.

Of course, most folks have got the message and stop short of actually trying to enact meaningful change because they know they will be killed for trying to help the world.  Most folks keep it safely in the "charity" lane because challenging the system will get you killed.

I should have qualified my statement.

When I talk about degenerating to that point I meant that during this election season any and everything will be fair game for candidates to use against each other: sex lives, investments, corruption etc.. No matter how vile these exchanges become none of the candidates will lose their lives over it.

At the beginning of 2009 there will be a peaceful transferance of power from Bush to his successor. When you consider what took place today that is no mean feat.

Yes, from a "glass half full" perspective, the fact that the Bush Jr. Republicans...who seem to ignore every other law...are willing to all walk away peacefully should not be taken for granted. 

[Tanksleyd]

When McCain approached Bush about the "Black Love Child" rumors during the 2000 South Carolina primary, Bush was more than happy to tell McCain (Perhaps the best choice for President in the 2000 election process, even if I am a Democrat.) "It's just politics".