I don't really have to say that yesterday's assassination of Benazir Bhutto, which it looks was likely engineered by al-Qaeda, is a particularly bad thing to happen right now. If there's anything I'm really pleased about, it's the surprising amount of coverage this is getting in the mainstream media. I can't remember the last time the death of any foreign leader was covered so extensively (unless it was with great fanfare, in the case of Saddam Hussein). Still, in these trying times, a bit of perspective is needed.
Bhutto was hardly a great leader to begin with. This was a woman who was elected prime minister of Pakistan twice, and both times she was forced to resign amidst allegations of extreme corruption. She had a ridiculously lavish lifestyle--not to say that that is necessarily bad in itself, but she definitely robbed her own people in order to get that way. Also, she was extremely reckless and petty, but some might see those as positive traits. If this is the closest we have to a democratic savior in the Muslim world, we have a long way to go.
I understand that things must be pretty bleak in Pakistan right now. I have no idea what I would do in this situation. I imagine things could go two ways, one far more likely than the other: either this assassination becomes a "powder keg" that leads to a full-out war between western and Muslim nations, or her death galvanizes enough democracy-minded individuals to result in something approaching an Islamic reformation. I can tell you which one I think is more likely.
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2 comments:
I really like reading this, Nathan. You have done a fantastic job. I can't wait to see what else you'll write.
The news coverage is amazing, yes to that. And this is coming from Euronews channel and multiple Russian channels.
The obvious reason for this coverage is that Pakistan has nuclear missiles and if those are in the wrong hands- simple answer.
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