Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto assassinated

[Sily]

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RAWALPINDI, Pakistan - Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a suicide bombing that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally, a party aide and a military official said.
"At 6:16 p.m. she expired," said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto's party who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital where she was taken after the attack.
“She has been martyred,” added party official Rehman Malik. Bhutto was 54.
A party security adviser said Bhutto was shot in the neck and chest as she got into her vehicle, then the gunman blew himself up.
A senior military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment, confirmed that Bhutto had died.
Her supporters at the hospital began chanting "Dog, Musharraf, dog," referring to Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf. Some of them smashed the glass door at the main entrance of the emergency unit, others burst into tears.
An Associated Press reporter at the scene of the bombing could see body parts and flesh scattered at the back gate of the Liaqat Bagh park where Bhutto had spoken. He counted about 20 bodies, including police, and could see many other wounded people.

The road outside was stained with blood. People screamed for ambulances. Others gave water to the wounded lying in the street.
The clothing of some of the victims was shredded and people put party flags over their bodies.
Security had been tight, with hundreds of riot police manning security checkpoints with metal detectors around what was Bhutto's first campaign rally since returning from exile two months ago.
Bhutto had planned an earlier rally in the city, but Musharraf forced her to cancel it, citing security fears. In October, suicide bombers struck a parade celebrating Bhutto’s return, killing more than 140 people in the southern city of Karachi.
[b]Jan. 8 elections[/b]
Parties across the country were stepping up campaigning for the Jan. 8 elections after a Muslim holiday late last week and a holiday on Tuesday for the birthday of Pakistan’s founder and revered first leader, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Western allies hope the election will restore stability in a nuclear-armed country vital to their battle against Islamist militancy. The three-way race had pitted Bhutto against the party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, and a party that backs Musharraf, who took power in a 1999 coup.
The elections are for provincial parliaments and for a National Assembly from which a prime minister and a government will be drawn.
In recent weeks, suicide bombers have repeatedly targeted security forces in Rawalpindi, a city near the capital where Musharraf stays and the Pakistan army has its headquarters.
Before the rally, scheduled for Thursday afternoon, Bhutto had met with visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the end of his two-day visit here.
“We too believe that it is essential for both of our countries, and indeed the larger Muslim world, to work to protect the interest of Islamic civilization by eliminating extremism and terrorism,” she said after their meeting.

[Astrojewels]

This is big news, I am surprised that no one has commented on it, interesting that she died at 6.16, she was very popular and incredibly brave, but I also see an alternative to her but still not quite sure, I would like to hear moonchild’s opinion.

[MC]

She was just a pawn in a game between the 3 families.As the announcement of her death hit the news,the US announced that it was sending US troops to Pakistan as early as January.That's the Windsor family in action.She worked for the interest's of the Windsor's.One of the other 2 main families had her terminated.I can't determine which one without studying certain things in detail concerning Pakistan.I would say,an expendable programmed person did the dirty deed.

[Polly]

Last evening I was looking at a compilation of 150+ photos at Yahoo about Benazir's life and death to see what kind of a feeling I picked up on and she was a party girl at Oxford when she was young which I was surprised to see.  I really did not know much about her.  That doesn't necessarily mean anything but there were pictures of her meeting with Bush, Sr. at the White House years ago as well as with Queen Elizabeth at the palace.

[Astrojewels]

Thanks MC, I thought you would know a bit about her. Polly I have this same feeling, it is like her soul energy wanted to help her people, but her programmed mind that endured the education and western lifestyle gave her this strange essence. There is something wonderful about her, but also something wicked. I also found it interesting that she was shot in the throat, a bullet in that chakra to ‘shut her up’, it is also an event that has everyone talking, even young people and those who have no interest.

[Mercy Now]

Interesting AstroJewels. I had the same mixed feelings about her. I feel she knew she was going to be killed one way or the other so she chose matyrdom.3 members of her immediate family were killed for political reasons ....she knew. I agree that her soul energy was dedicated to helping the people. She must have been a very conflicted woman.

 For whatever reason I get the impression that Russia was involved in her demise.

[MC]

Your welcome Astrojewels.
There was talk about her setting up the attack she had in October.That she set it up herself in order to gather support.A lot of people died,so I can't say I pity her.

[Astrojewels]

That is easy to believe, I can see that she has some moves and also highly educated, which is not everything but in a country where most citizens are illiterate, it is a major advantage. I can see the country is rebelling but what’s new? I do not believe she would have won the election because of the corruption, and what is worse – her dying as a martyr or loosing an election that she would surely win through votes to a corrupt leader?
I think the citizens would be totally uncontrollable if these elections would have happened. I look at it as a positive that a woman would even be considered in such a country.

[MC]

Here's some more info about her,her family...etc
http://www.counterpunch.org/shibli12272007.html

[Astrojewels]

Interesting, her husband sounds like a real nice person! It is like the reverse of the west, where the woman behind the man is the string puller of the puppet, I have wondered about the husband because in a country such as this, women do not have any authority and for him to take the back steps of such an influential women would make the husband very controlling and brutal when possible.