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Pakistan's culture of violence : Comments
By Saleem Khan, published 31/12/2007Benazir Bhutto was not what the media and the Bush Administration claimed her to be.
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See:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/01/2129959.htm
Here is some background on Pakistan from Guardian columnist Anita Inder Singh.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/anita_inder_singh/2007/12/the_finger_on_the_trigger.html
And this place has nukes!
More generally, the MIC [military-intelligence combine] had reared and sustained extremists against Pakistan's archenemy, India, long before 9/11 placed terrorism on the global agenda. Since 2001 the MIC has trained the extremists who threaten to derail Nato's anti-terrorist campaign in Afghanistan. Even the ignorant Bush government, which thought that Pakistan could become democratic by the mere act of Musharraf replacing his uniform with civvies, has been told of the links between the MIC and extremism.
The embrace between state and Islamic clerics has been strong and constant. Bhutto herself succumbed to that embrace as prime minister in the 1990s, if only to steal the thunder of her political and military rivals and to establish her credentials as the "best" Muslim. Indeed the Taliban, created by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, was sustained by her government. And military rulers have always found alliances with religious extremists indispensable to shoring up their political standing and power.
Perhaps a momentary digression to Afghanistan could throw some light on the question, as Taliban thuggery has increased over the last two years. Would the Taliban have been able to carry out their cruel acts without training and sustenance from the Pakistani side? No. Never. In fact, UN, Nato and even American officials see Pakistan's hand behind the rising Taliban violence in Afghanistan.
So blame the military and intelligence, if you like, for Bhutto's assassination. Blame the suicide bomber, who may have spun out of the MIC's control - or acted under their instructions and with their connivance. Whatever - or whoever - inspired Bhutto's suicide killer, the chances are that his disgusting mission was facilitated by the culture of violence created by Pakistan's military and intelligence services, governing with the benefit of clergy.
I have no way of assessing the truth of Ms Singh's allegation but, to me, they sound plausible.