BREAKING NEWS: Benazir Bhutto assassinated

[EagleEyes]

Are you sure you weren't there?

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Webmaster,

You do have an interesting sense of humour. :biggrin:

 

[Tang0]

It seems from images that while speaking she was fairly far away from the crowds. Generally after a speech, you hussle the princible to a nearby vehical convoy that pulls up when it is needed, so observers don't know where and when their target will be leaving. I would gather she decided to get a little more face time in and overrode her security specialists, but that is just a guess. Somebody screwed up, the question is if it was the gaurds or BB herself. As for it being sad etc etc yes. but this is a forum that deals with the analytical discussion of mechanisms that can and have resulted in the deaths of thousands of people "Defense" is a code word for death and suffering on a massive scale.

 

[EagleEyes]

Salim,

I am glad you picked up.

Here is an interesting video. Start from 00.46. How far the SUV is.. can be seen.

gjunnU7D7Eg[/media] - Benazir Assassination

 

[Neo]

The vide is no longer available..?

 

[Tang0]

Hmm, the egress route was very obvious, the tango was probably aware of the transport methods from the announcment onwards. No backup team or methods for securing the situation after an event. People just wandering about without anyone in obvious control, or even trying to assert control of the situation. The tango could just hang out, and she was nice enough to put herself above the level of the crowds and make herself a nice target. Where are all the police anyway? Did she not trust them? I've met teenage gang members who have shown more careful security planning. But hey, there is probably more gunfire in the chi town projects than in that city in a given day. That op was a cake walk, the guy probably could have gotten away, blowing himself up was just iceing . The US should invest some time advising security teams to keep the people it supports intact. I suppose that would have hurt her, making her seem more like an "Stooge for the US". But better a few people call you a stooge than be dead.

 

[Awesome]

Salim she was in a bomb proof, bullet proof car. You can see in the scores of videos of her security locking her behind the blast doors of her car.

But she stuck her neck out afterwards. Nobody expected that. She opened the sunroof and came out to wave and be all brave. She stuck her neck out.

What's interesting is that she did this in all the 5 rallies since she arrived back in Pakistan. AQ was noting down her every move and this weakness must've been noted. Imagine if she wouldn't have herself stuck her neck out nothing would've happened.

Her death was so written.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Asim,

Yes, sticking her head out was a wrong thing to do.

However, even Musharraf bomb proof decoy vehicle was of no use in Karachi?

Likewise, one Chief Minister in India escaped a Naxalite IED but his second bombproof vehicle was smashed to smithereens!

Destiny?!

 

[Muradk]

To many people have cell phones, someone must have gotten a photo or made a movie of the shooting. It will come out in due time.

 

[alibaz]

The leaders sometimes donot adhere to security procedures but it should not be a rotine as in case of ms Bhutto, she got up from the sun roof and paid the price. No doubt its a great loss to Pakistan.

 

[joharmunier]

My condolences to Bhutto family, the Pakistan Army has always been their enemy.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

My condolences to Bhutto family, the Pakistan Army has always been their enemy.

Some Pakistanis have still not gained the courage to lay blame on those who are now touting their guilt.

Officials: Al Qaeda claims responsibility for Bhutto killing - CNN.com

Still roiling in the "Muslim Brothers" fantasy are you?

Bashing the Army or Musharraf is not going to wash away the reality behind the terrorist sponsored bombings taking place in the country. What is needed is a united front by Pakistanis to combat the scourge of AQ and their ilk, not blame games based on personal dislikes.

 

[khanz]

I'm sick of seeing these doomsday scenarios for pak we will make it through this. Pakistan is just going through a mid life crisis right now as all countries have done at some point in their history(american civil war,french revolution,iranian revoluetion etc) with pakistan it's the chaos of bhutto's death.It's been around for 60 years going through more than most countries do having our right arm ripped off(bangladesh) to having a hostile superpower (soviets in afghanistan) banging on our door ! people been saying it will collapse and pakistan's time is at an end since 47 yet it's still here ! this is proof enough pakistan's will to survive -if any other country had been throught the same as pak it would no longer be here.
Now it is pakistan's most difficult time it's coming at a key point in it's life with WOT,elections,chaning geopolitics have all come to boiling point with pakistan right in the middle we are at a crossroads and we will make the best choice for our country.I'm sure it will get through this and come out a wiser,stronger and more united pakistan

 

[Spring Onion]

Bashing the Army or Musharraf is not going to wash away the reality behind the terrorist sponsored bombings taking place in the country. What is needed is a united front by Pakistanis to combat the scourge of AQ and their ilk, not blame games based on personal dislikes.

Let me post an analysis by BRASSTACKS Think Thank on the same point as you pointed out

------------

Benazir assasination, as expected is claimed by Al-Qaeda. Dspite the fact that CNN has released a letter from her which accused President Musharraf to plot her assassination, no serious analyst or even the Americans have bought this theory as the signatures are too strong to point towards Zawihiri / Osama backed tribal militants of local origin. CNN has almost removed that hypothesis from their discussion now.

Even BBC is now putting the partial blame for her death on western governments and western leaders for pushing her into Pakistan despite the risks she faced from Al-Qaeda. The blame for her death is falling on Al-Qaeda and also on western governments for pushing her too fast in very dangerous turf where religious radicals had already vowed to kill her upon her arrival. Baitullah Mehsud and many similar militants had vowed to meet her at the airport with his suicide bombers. Even within Pakistan, no one seems to be buying the theory that Musharraf government got her killed. The media is in fact totally silent over the possible lists of suspects despite the fact that Al-Qaeda claim is being flashed on screen.


In a knee jerk reaction, Nawaz Shareef has now announced boycott of elections after assassination of BB. This throws the entire election process into a tail spin as he also announces launch of a protest movement against President Musharraf till he is ousted. NS says "saving Pakistan is more important than elections" basically signaling that he is going to launch a civil disobedience movement after 3 days of mourning. The government minister says elections will be held on time as schedule. Americans are also supportive of the election process so far.



But the question is whether he can or he cannot muster enough street power to create a crisis for President Musharraf ?. PPP is now decapitated and stunned at the developments. their thinking capacity is seriously impaired right now. NS is counting on PPP's angry voters to side with him as force multiplier but this would not be an easy task for him. in fact, it is going to be a risky gamble.



He has seriously miscalculated many times in the recent past and another miscalculation can land him in jail or in exile once again. In our assessment, he is overplaying his cards and his dependence upon JI, Imran Khan, PPP and some sub-nationalist groups is going to create chaos but not the desired results that he wants.



Worst case for the government, he will invite chaos, lawlessness and then Martial law and cancellation of elections. Best case for the government, he will be arrested and exiled and not able to generate mass civil disobedience movement. Right now, the NS and PPP camp do not have enough understanding, strategy or the willing manpower to launch a massive street movement together. Their voters or support base were gearing up for elections not jails or tear gasses. The mental shift would be more difficult than the policy shift which their leadership has now taken.



So, as PPP workers are on a rampage all over the country especially in Karachi and Sindh, Nawaz Shareef is trying to increase pressure on the government and working to create a larger opposition block. Next 3 days would decide a lot as to how things shape up. So far the government has not offered any serious resistance to the rioting crowds but sooner or later things will have to be brought under control even if that means bringing in para military or even the army depending how things shape up. There are signs that this is now going to happen and rioting will be controlled.



We do not see any major security meltdown for the government if they handle the rioting and also handle the media and perception war well. So far, this is the weakest link in the government’s plan. There is no media plan, no coordination, no strategy and no spokesperson handling the crisis. This would be serious blunder and could escalate the situation.



No need to panic. It is a manageable situation and the government is slowly getting the grips of it. Next couple of days woud clarify everything but we see things towards improvement for the time being as internaitonal pressure is almost negligible on the government and local situaiton is being tackled now.



Her funeral is happneing as we write in Larkana Sindh. Caution must be maintained on Saturday as well. No travelling on street at all. By Sunday, things would clarify a lot.


All rights reserved by BRASSTACKS Advanced Threat Analysis and Security Management Consultants

 

[natalie]

i agree with one thing she was a wise women who has been around the block for quite sometime and how could she undermine the powers she was fighting against she did stick her head out of the vehical and she did undermine the risks.she should have been concentrating more on security side of the things rather then giving emotional speeches women lost her head in the end and made the studpid mistake of undermining her enemies. but Love you lots Benazir may you rest in peace now.....