Bhutto assassinated.

[raptor10]

No link yet, just heard it on NPR

 

[Lawman]

So who wants to start the pool on when Pakistan collapses in on its self in civil war?

 

[scoober78]

...and with a lurch, Pakistan slides further down the slope towards...

This is bad news...period.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Either Pakistan implodes in civil war, or without a leader to rally around, the opposition shrugs, goes home, and returns to subdued grumbling. I think the opposition loses momentum when they don't have a legit alternative for president.

 

[JIMC5499]

Great. A country with nuclear weapons is headed for a civil war. Sounds like something out of a Coonts or Clancy novel. I wonder how India is going to react to this?

 

[eddie]

Either Pakistan implodes in civil war, or without a leader to rally around, the opposition shrugs, goes home, and returns to subdued grumbling. I think the opposition loses momentum when they don't have a legit alternative for president.

For right now, I'm with Fester's second option. There's no governmental power vaccuum created by this. Frankly after that first convoy incident, I figured it was just a matter of time for this to go down. Election day will probably give a better picture of things to come.

 

[scoober78]

Either Pakistan implodes in civil war, or without a leader to rally around, the opposition shrugs, goes home, and returns to subdued grumbling. I think the opposition loses momentum when they don't have a legit alternative for president.

Minor correction...Bhutto was a candidate in the parliamentary elections scheduled soon, not for President. You make a good point though and one could argue that Musharraf would stand to benefit if this indeed was the assasin's thinking.

cui bono...

 

[WheelsUpHeelsUp]

Great. A country with nuclear weapons is headed for a civil war. Sounds like something out of a Coonts or Clancy novel. I wonder how India is going to react to this?

I'm sure they're licking their chops. Fanatic Hindu's seem to be as whacked out as fanatic muslims. Hate to say it but if they can contain it there, thinning out the herd might not be such a terrible thing. India can't feed itself as it is.

 

[joshmf]

I'm sure they're licking their chops. Fanatic Hindu's seem to be as whacked out as fanatic muslims. Hate to say it but if they can contain it there, thinning out the herd might not be such a terrible thing. India can't feed itself as it is.

You're advocating war between two nuclear nations to 'thin out the herd'? The internet is full of people saying stupid, ill-advised things, but this is ridiculous.

 

[scoober78]

I'm sure they're licking their chops. Fanatic Hindu's seem to be as whacked out as fanatic muslims. Hate to say it but if they can contain it there, thinning out the herd might not be such a terrible thing. India can't feed itself as it is.

What? Civil war...as in war within a country. Pakistan is full of "fanatic muslims". The "fanatic hindus" live in India. That's why Pakistan is no longer "part" of India...and part of the reason they don't get along so well.

 

[BackOrdered]

Not to be cruel as this is quite unfortunate, but I saw this coming a mile off. There is no reasoning with these radicals.

 

[skim]

I saw this coming too (the country erupting into civil war), I just thought it would have happened alot sooner.

 

[squeeze]

You're advocating war between two nuclear nations to 'thin out the herd'? The internet is full of people saying stupid, ill-advised things, but this is ridiculous.

You're new to the internet, I see.

 

[CommodoreMid]

Minor correction...Bhutto was a candidate in the parliamentary elections scheduled soon, not for President. You make a good point though and one could argue that Musharraf would stand to benefit if this indeed was the assasin's thinking.

cui bono...

I don't know about that. Musharraf is already freaking out about the country's instability over this. He's already condemned the action and is trying to get people there to stop rioting. If the country erupts into chaos I don't see how he stands to gain.

 

[scoober78]

I don't know about that. Musharraf is already freaking out about the country's instability over this. He's already condemned the action and is trying to get people there to stop rioting. If the country erupts into chaos I don't see how he stands to gain.

I agree with you. However, my comment was in reference to Uncle Fester's initial post. If you think, correctly or incorrectly it may turn out, that without its leader the opposition will eventually wither, then it would make sense to kill her if you are Musharraf.

Once again, I can't say that I think that is likely...but its plausible.