The other was kicked off by this quote from the Zenmaster:
Bhutto was neither as democratic nor as pro-American as her P.R. in the MSM implied and her party’s endemic addiction to corruption helped bring the military to power on numerous occasions in Pakistan’s history. That being said, the death of Benazir Bhutto is a significant destabilizer for a nuclear club nation that perpetually teeters on the brink of state failure.
Bhutto was pretty, US educated, and could talk a good game. She was also a Machiavellian politician, corrupt to the core, and managed to completely snow the Eastern elite that fills the State Department, many of whom she went to school with at Harvard.
In thinking about her demise, I was immediately reminded of another attractive, corrupt, Machivellian female power broker who was US educated (speaking with a disarming Southern accent, to boot). She, too talked a great game and was extremely adept at cosying up to the predjudices of the Eastern elite with whom she had extensive school and social ties.
Political infatuation with the older woman had extremely negative consequences for US interests and freedom in general, and I fear our dalliance with Bhutto may result in similar problems.
Will we never learn?
1 comment:
I don't wish death on anyone, but the apparent inevitability of the return to power of Benizir Bhutto in Pakistan was about the worst thing that could happen there for US interests. Benizir was responsible - through her corruption, ignorance, and hubris - for the creation of the Taliban and their installation in Afghanistan. The ISI and the radical elements in the Pakistani Army fully expected to control and manipulate her the second time just as they did before. The notion that al Qaeda assassinated her is pretty ironic - they had about the most to gain from her return.
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