Benazir's Life Part III

What happened?

After a rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Mrs. Bhutto got into her bulletproof vehicle and then popped her head through the roof to wave at the throngs of supporters. The Washington Post reports:

She raised her torso through the hatch, and several gunshots rang out, an aide seated next to her said. Just as Bhutto sank into her seat, a large bomb detonated outside the vehicle. The left side of Bhutto's face was badly bloodied, aides said, but it was not clear whether she'd been killed by bullets or by shrapnel from the bombing. She lost consciousness, and never regained it.

The explosion, apparently caused by a suicide bomber, killed at least 20 people outside Bhutto's car and injured many others. Police were investigating whether the bomber was also the gunman. One possibility was that the assailant fired the shots and then, after being tackled by security officials, detonated the bomb.

Who was behind this?

Mrs. Bhutto herself said on numerous occasions that the attempts on her life were helped by the Pakistani government. They may not have initiated any of the attacks, but they did little to prevent them or protect her. For the attacks themselves, she put the blame on extremists.

From the same Washington Post article:

Although no group has claimed responsibility for Bhutto's killing, Western leaders immediately pointed to the Islamic extremist groups operating with increasing intensity in Pakistan, including those with links to al-Qaeda. Musharraf also blamed Islamic extremists.

What does this mean not only for Pakistan, but for the US?

Mrs. Bhutto was considered a crucial partner in creating a stable and democratic Pakistan that would be able to expel terrorists who intended to use the country as a base. A stable Pakistan would also benefit American interests in neighboring Afghanistan.

From a different Washington Post article:

Without Bhutto, Musharraf has virtually no major political allies willing to take positions widely unpopular in Pakistan but critical to U.S. interests. A Pew Survey last summer found only 15 percent of Pakistanis had a favorable view of the United States.

Bhutto's assassination during a campaign stop in Rawalpindi also puts in doubt prospects that an election can produce a credible government, former policymakers and analysts said.

"More broadly, this is a major loss because the elections scheduled for early January had the potential to move the country forward," said Daniel Markey of the Council on Foreign Relations. "Despite her past failures, she was still a legitimate leader who could have worked with Musharraf and the army to have an accommodation in Islamabad."

The State Department called on President Musharraf and others in the Pakistani government "to do everything they can to create the conditions on the ground to have as free and fair and transparent an election as possible," Casey told reporters. "No political system can last long without having legitimacy in the eyes of its people."

The United States is particularly concerned about the potential for initial demonstrations to become open-ended protests against the Musharraf government. U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson is also reaching out to other opposition parties and civil society groups to urge calm, U.S. officials said.