I am reading right now that Benazir Bhutto died in the suicide attack on her rally.

This is awful news.

I have heard a lot of speculation that Al Qaeda has focused on Pakistan since it’s getting its butt kicked in Iraq and Afghanistan.   That makes sense.  What doesn’t make sense there is attacking Bhutto.  Musharraf is unpopular and losing international support.  His crackdown a month ago and subsequent agreement to leave the military only weakened him.  Killing Bhutto only makes the actions of Musharraf look like they were the right thing to do at the right time.  This is all Musharraf needs to go back to his international supporters and get more help, both economically and militarily.  He has done what the international leaders have asked, and this is where it has lead.  Maybe we need to listen to him a little more and those not living there a little less.

On the flipside of the issue, although Al Qaeda has been fingered, this sure fits conveniently into Musharraf’s political needs.  With an election next month, it looked to the average outsider that Musharraf’s days were numbered.  He even hinted as such agreeing to be the Prime Minister.  All of that was purely based on the assumption that Bhutto was going to win.  Scratch all that.  Nothing changes.

I have felt for six years we need to be IN Pakistan moreso than either Afghanistan or Iraq.  Afghanistan can be a pain in the butt, but they have no organized government and no ability to mount a military.  Iraq was a roaring pussycat.  A pain in the butt for sure, but once we went in, there was obviously nothing tangible there.  In both cases, I liked going in.  In both cases, I think we’ve stayed too long and haven’t watched over them in a true 21st century military fashion.  Pakistan’s a different animal entirely.  They have nukes.  There’s no question, there’s no doubt.  They have them.  They have a good sized army.  Not terribly motivated or organized, but they have one.  They also have a horribly ineffective and weak government.  The death of Bhutto is just another prime example of how ineffectively that government can protect itself ( if it wishes to ).  I also see even more destabilization as protests against Musharraf/Al Qaeda mount.  If Musharraf clamps down on Al Qaeda, the warlords resist.  I don’t think he has the manpower to deal with them all.  Enter the US.  Exit Iraq and Afghanistan and keep satellites with missiles aimed directly at their capitol buildings until they show they can behave civilly.

Take all those troops and put them in Pakistan.  Make sure those nukes are safe.  And, kill Osama Bin Laden.  Once he’s dead, and the Pakistanis prove they can respect a government they choose, then get our troops out pronto and put a couple of satellites with missiles pointed right at their capitol as well.

It’s really that simple.

Other Views:

• Michelle Malkin - She’s going exclusively with the Jihadist angles.  I’m not ready to rule out other interests yet.
• JammieWearingFool
• AllahPundit has some pics from the scene.  Needless to say, use caution.

Tags: afghanistan, al-qaeda, benazir, bhutto, International Issues, International Politics, iraq, musharraf, pakistan