Thursday, December 27, 2007
Tragedy in Pakistan
I am currently in the Wirral with my family and have not had much time to look at the news. I was shocked therefore when I logged onto my mother's computer to post the previous entry on this blog to see the news that Benazir Bhutto has been assasinated.
This act is a major blow to Pakistan and to democracy everywhere. A courageous woman, who put her life at risk to stand up for what she believed in, has paid the ultimate price.
How this will impact on the region or indeed on World politics has yet to be seen. However, we must all now redouble our efforts to defeat extremists who resort to violence because they are incapable of winning the argument. This is not a cultural issue or even one of east versus west, this is about the future of democracy. It is about the right of the individual to assert him or herself against the power of the state or of any other force that might act to deny that right.
In the meantime, my thoughts are with Benazir Bhutto's family, friends and colleagues.
This act is a major blow to Pakistan and to democracy everywhere. A courageous woman, who put her life at risk to stand up for what she believed in, has paid the ultimate price.
How this will impact on the region or indeed on World politics has yet to be seen. However, we must all now redouble our efforts to defeat extremists who resort to violence because they are incapable of winning the argument. This is not a cultural issue or even one of east versus west, this is about the future of democracy. It is about the right of the individual to assert him or herself against the power of the state or of any other force that might act to deny that right.
In the meantime, my thoughts are with Benazir Bhutto's family, friends and colleagues.
Comments:
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Indeed, and trite as it may sound, a reminder to us of how fortunate we are to be able to indulge in the open debate, argument and often petty squabbling that make up the political arena in this country.
Despite her checked past one thing we can say about Benazir Bhutto is that Benazir Bhutto was a very brave person. Survived a bombing on her return which killed scores of her supporters and she kept on going.
I did find it a bit strange that so many were taken in by Benazir Bhutto’s current round of promises that she stands for democracy given her less than light-fantastic terms of office as President of Pakistan and the history around her father's 'exit' from Pakistan politics.
In the understandable aftermath and confusion as much as some of Benazir Bhutto's supporters want to blame the current General 'in charge' I don't think he is directly linked with the awful murder of Benazir Bhutto.
Perhaps I should not write this, but I am not sure what good Benazir Bhutto would have done if she was elected to serve a third term as President of Pakistan. Yes democracy as the West understands it is a great thing, but in Pakistan it has become more of a political football to gain favour from the UK and US governments rather than a noble goal in itself.
During her time as President, Benazir Bhutto she did so very little for the ordinary people of Pakistan - lots of promises, cute educated talk about what should be done, but apart from promoting friends and close family members to important posts, and the ‘goings on’ by a certain “Mr. 10%”, Benazir Bhutto did, quite frankly, 'bugger all'.
'Bugger all' and ‘WAG’ don't rhyme, maybe they should.
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I did find it a bit strange that so many were taken in by Benazir Bhutto’s current round of promises that she stands for democracy given her less than light-fantastic terms of office as President of Pakistan and the history around her father's 'exit' from Pakistan politics.
In the understandable aftermath and confusion as much as some of Benazir Bhutto's supporters want to blame the current General 'in charge' I don't think he is directly linked with the awful murder of Benazir Bhutto.
Perhaps I should not write this, but I am not sure what good Benazir Bhutto would have done if she was elected to serve a third term as President of Pakistan. Yes democracy as the West understands it is a great thing, but in Pakistan it has become more of a political football to gain favour from the UK and US governments rather than a noble goal in itself.
During her time as President, Benazir Bhutto she did so very little for the ordinary people of Pakistan - lots of promises, cute educated talk about what should be done, but apart from promoting friends and close family members to important posts, and the ‘goings on’ by a certain “Mr. 10%”, Benazir Bhutto did, quite frankly, 'bugger all'.
'Bugger all' and ‘WAG’ don't rhyme, maybe they should.
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