The Tragedy of Benazir Bhutto

Imagine moving ito a country where everyone knows you’re there to restore democracy to a people who have lived their lives in  supplication to the class of brutal, powered elete. Do you think I’m talking about Freedom Riders setting up housekeeping in Selma, Alabama in 1962? I could be, but I’m not.

Now imagine that the leaders privately avowed to relocate you to a pine box come from two sworn ememies. The most dangerous are religious fanatics ready to commit suicide if they can take you along. The other sworn enemy of your clarion call for democracy is the president of the country where you have chosen to come, after eight years of exile, to make a difference.

I was having another late night at the compuiter when news of Benazir Bhutto’s assasination began coming in over WUIS — aka “BBC After Midnight.” Instantly, I was back at Springfield High when word came of John Kennedy’s death. Suddenly at 3:30 I was awake and unable to focus on anything but details coming in. I’m still awash with in a cauldron of loss.

Although everyone is posing in respectful pious platitudes for the woman, all this making nice like hosing down a beautiful house as its ashes cool in the dark of night. News commentators have shared the following thoughts. I can’t claim much of what follows as my own, but I share with you because you may not have considered these points, and I hope you will.

How would you feel if Vladimir Putin began financing TV ads for Bill Richardson? You FORGOT already? He is a Democrat Party candidate for US president! How would you feel if Saudi Arabia underwrote the cost of John McCain’s efforts in New Hampshire? Your reaction might be the same as mine: “Hey Vodka Swilling Sheikers and Movers, butt OUT of our BUSINESS! What would you say if Venezuela’s outspoken president distributed millions of dollars American quietly to all presidential candiates of all US parties in the running, including the Green Party and the Ron Paul Cult? Would you be just a tad perterbed? I’ll BET!

The US, under the Kestone Cop incarnate, known to the world as #43 urged Benazir Bhutto to return to Pakistan and leaned on President Musharef to tolerate her while surrendering his army uniform. In the course of complying under blatantly obvious duress, Mushareff transformed Pakistan’s supreme court into a judicial puppet with all the “gravitas” of Kermit the Frog; as eloquent as the the arn that was inserted up their backsides and the lips that moved to a voice, not of their own.. Musharef, believing that Bhutto’s victory in the coming January 8 elections was inefitable also cut a heaping helping of statutory power from the office of prime minister. Had she lived, Bhutto would have had nothing close to the authority she had known during her service in that position twice before.

Early into the reporting, I concluded that given the record of her entire family, seemingly destined for national leadership in the young nation, her father’s death by hanging and the loss of her murdered brothers, probably indicated a flaw built into her genome. I assumed her family had the “corruption gene” common to some political dynasties in other countries, and I ain’t namin’ names, cowboys. Later I learned that her entire family had been outspoken proponents of “Democracy.” Their failures were not from their incompetence. The Bhuttos were the John Andersons, the Paul Simons, the Teddy Roosevelts, theJimmy Carters of their part of the world. Those who prosecuted the family were not the enemies of corruption; they were the enemies of freedom. Who needs an impicatable president when you have your own Alberto Gonzalez, so to speak, in your back pocket?

Besides, Musharef, in or out of khaki and epaulets, doesn’t rule Pakistan; the country’s army rules Pakistan. They are the force, almost since the country was born not many decades ago, who assasinated, indicted and hung those who spoke for democracy. Pointing our righteous extended fingers (chose your favorite) at Musharef is like wailing about the barking Labrador in the neighbor’s back yard when your real enemy is the drug pusher doing business on the other side of your backyard privacy stockade fence, out by the alley at 3 am, and making plans to “liberate” your assets.

The irony that the Taliban and Musharef have so much in common sullies the soul of Pakistan. They hated her for the same reason we would despise Saudi financing our elections, even though they finance a lot of our lifestyle with their lobbyists in DCeit. They hated her because her lofty ideal of freedom is not part of the accepted status quo of Pakistan powered elete. For her to advocate freedom was to mark her as a “tool,” a “poodle” of the US, and a thread to the power elete’s way of life.

Since the late 19th century, the West has stood for freedom, and freedom is a threat to those who find in an inconvenient impediment to iron-toed boots. Not only that, the West consorts with the wrong god. No wonder they hate advocates for freedom, regardless of color or creed, or non-creed.

For the US to have so openly supported her was to seal her unhappy fate from the start when she returned Octobere 17. Washington politicos largely ignored her before she announced plans to go home to Pakistan. We cold shouldered her the way the President of Planned Parenthood might we welcomed at a KKK rally.

We’ve already considered how wary we would be of a US presidential candiate whose bid for the White (no offense intended) House was underwriten. The power elete in Pakistan and that part of the world feel the same about US presence, above board or under the table — in their affairs. Why did the US put all their support behind Bhutto and not share their folding green with other candidates? My guess (and this is blogger; not news commentator) is that such in-depth consideration of options in Pakistan was/IS beyond che talent of #43’s accessories. Their cursory consideration of the field led them to conclude Bhutto was “their man” for the job. They didn’t bother with the rest because is was easier to pick one and ride her to the finish line. Of course that required the “chosen one” to arrive at the checkered flag, which, of course did not happen. So where is the US presence now?

Largely where it has been since 2003. A diminishing relevance to the world.

The US and madcap cops in Washington DCeit need to understand that if we insist on contriving to create a political environment in a country beyond our borders, we must pay the consequences when our anticipated Lincoln emerges as a sulphur and brimstone scented Castro or Stalin. We must understand that we should lead by making our ligtle light shine as a beacon to the darkness engulfing the world right now; not to insist on bullying our beacon into countries whose leaders will never see the light. Freedom must come from within; not from invading armies and not from under the table.

Bhutto’s death is a sorry testament to that reality. God help us all if we are too blind to see it.

Live long . . . . and proper.