Mood:
blueTopic: world
Picture: Supporters of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto carry her coffin. Photo: AFP
"Improbably, 2007 may prove to be the year that the politics of terror passed into history. At least the status quo points us hesitantly in that direction. Of course, one bomb would rapidly change all that. As I say, nothing is inevitable.
Waleed Aly is a lecturer in politics at Monash University. He is the author of People Like Us: How Arrogance is Dividing Islam and the West (Picador) in Domestic issues return to spotlight | The Australian 27 Dec 2007, p10
There's nothing very funny about murderous fanaticism. It's not really a fit subject for satire either from T shirts indicative of an immature carefree or frivolous attitude as here spotted at Bondi 27th Dec 2007:
The assassination of Benazir Bhutto will likely symbolise for the Western world everything they despise about misogynist religious and political fanaticism.
We awoke intending to write on David Hicks cross referencing Waleed Aly above noticing some threads of a potential trend. But his prescient comment last paragraph changes all that. Our intention was to acknowledge the story wrap on Hicks on 7.30 Report last night which was quite fair but with one view - questioning Leigh Sales objectivity on what Hicks represents: Framing questions for Hicks on his security threat, but not the long history of CIA sponsored torture and grotesque human rights abuse from as far back as El Salvador? Who could forget this searing fictionalised critique of craven pampered western journalists lying for Uncle Sam in the face of death squads sponsored by same Uncle Sam?
Or does Ms Sales really lack objectivity? Many will say no sympathy is needed, especially after this assassination of an international figure.
We presume Hicks was desperate to get out of Afghanistan after the WTC 2001 horror but for what future purpose is her question and even louder today.
For idealistic bloggers we want to believe the prison is full of innocent people. It's in our nature. And presumbaly a small percent really are and this keeps us going in terms of faith in our mission of truth and justice.
But the murder of the brilliant rich ambitious Bhutto and her 16 supporters will turn politics on a 20c piece again. The reports are here:
Bhutto assassinated, Pakistan opposition leader killed in gun and bomb attack after a rally in the city of Rawalpindi.
More here:
Anyone who watched reportage of the 10+ hours long procession 18th Oct 07 of hyper rich Benazir Bhutto from the Karachi airport to the resultant suicide bombing in late October 07 killing over 100 people, as reported in amazing clarity by Mark Davis of SBS Dateline, would know she or her security or both had failed to address the danger.
Tuesday, 30th October,2007 BENAZIR BHUTTO'S DEADLY RETURN Previously: Mark Davis was just metres away as two explosions ripped through former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s motorcade in Karachi, killing at least 125 people and injuring hundreds more.
And notice this quote from Davis's report:
As she heads to the plane the most notable absences are the British and American politicians who had apparently pledged to travel in with her. It seems they now have other engagements. But there is no shortage of people keen to share this journey with her.
And the very frightening expose' of the chronology of that day back in October which suggests an almost reckless disregard for suicide infiltratration over the strident warnings of the Musharaf (dictoratorship) govt:
After years of anticipating this homecoming, Benazir Bhutto and her party have just 10 hours left before this day will be torn apart. Meanwhile, the close security plan swings into action. The VIP lounge gives her an opportunity to quietly compose her thoughts and meet some dignitaries before the day begins, a respite from the crowds and chaos that she will soon have to face. As the converted bus that will carry her though the streets of Karachi departs, the first 30 metres is the fastest it will travel all day. The Bhutto bus inches its way through the crowd on its 2Okm journey to her home. By nightfall, four hours later, it had barely left the airport precinct. In the streets ahead of the convoy, more crowds are gathering to catch a glimpse of Bhutto.
It was coming up to 11:00pm, 9 hours since she landed, when I managed to scramble aboard the bus.REPORTER: How much longer before we get there?
WOMAN: Another 8 or 9 more hours minimum.
REPORTER: How long does this trip normally take from the airport?
WOMAN: About half an hour, maybe 40 if traffic is bad.
Now with less than an hour to go before the first blast, I find an exuberant Rehman Malik.
Radio National with Steve Kinane in the chair suggests she was shot dead yesterday when standing up in her car through a roof space to wave to a crowd of supporters. If true this echoes the quite reckless lack of security back in October 07.
One can't help thinking that life is cheap in this sixth most populous country with 159M people.
