Bhutto Adviser: Musharraf Is To Blame

[kpete]

Bhutto Adviser: Musharraf Is To Blame
By Spencer Ackerman - December 27, 2007, 10:32AM
A longtime adviser and close friend of assassinated Pakistani ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto places blame for Bhutto's death squarely on the shoulders of U.S.-supported dictator Pervez Musharraf.

After an October attack on Bhutto's life in Karachi, the ex-prime minister warned "certain individuals in the security establishment and nothing was done," says Husain Haqqani, a confidante of Bhutto's for decades. "There is only one possibility: the security establishment and Musharraf are complicit, either by negligence or design. That is the most important thing. She's not the first political leader killed, since Musharraf took power, by the security forces."

Haqqani notes that Bhutto died of a gunshot wound to the neck. "It's like a hit, not a regular suicide bombing," he says. "It's quite clear that someone who considers himself Pakistan's Godfather has a very different attitude toward human life than you and I do."

As for what comes next: Haqqani doubts that Musharraf will go forward with scheduled elections. "The greatest likelihood is that this was aimed not just aimed at Benazir Bhutto but at weakening Pakistan's push for democracy," he says. "But the U.S. has to think long and hard. Musharraf's position is untenable in Pakistan. More and more people are going to blame him for bringing Pakistan to this point, intentionally or unintentionally. It's very clear that terrorism has increased in Pakistan. It's quite clear that poverty has increased in Pakistan. ... anti-Americanism might come in, as people say, 'You know what, why should we support this regime that has not delivered anything to us?'"

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[K Gardner]

1. This is VERY important. The people and officials in Pakistan do NOT think AlQaeda is

responsible. CNN and MSNBC are already saying it is a TERRORIST attack. Former official of Pakistan was just interviewed and the interviewer at CNN made him repeat that he did NOT think it was AlQaeda. But be sure, this is what we will be spoon fed and what the United States Under Bush will "react" on.

[malaise]

4. That's the official spin

Terra ists. Mushie is the real terra ist.

[burythehatchet]

2. He won't be around long.

[iamthebandfanman]

3. not true at all.

but the guy who killed her is getting exactly what he wants....
fear of chaos and everyone pointing the finger at musharraf.

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. Yep. I heard a reporter this morning who said Benazir had asked Musharraf for more security and

instead of increasing her security, he pulled people from her detail. He gave her LESS security. This was a Pakistani reporter on CNN this morning.