Musharraf on 60 Minutes

bhkad · 01-06-08, 09:34 PM

Musharraf on 60 Minutes

Quote:

Musharraf also thinks Bhutto made a mistake by going to the area where she was killed, where a former prime minister had previously been assassinated. And it wasn't the first time Bhutto had tried to hold a rally there.

"We again had intelligence that this is a dangerous place and there's a likelihood of a suicide attempt. We asked her not to go," Musharraf says. "She insisted she will go. We stopped her. And we got such a poor - flak - we got flak from all over the world, from media, from Western media."

"From the U.S.?" Logan asks.

"From everywhere," Musharraf explains.

The night of the assassination, Musharraf believes Bhutto broke a basic rule of security in a crowded charged political rally: to be particularly careful when leaving.

"She should have just gone and moved fast, gone and waved, yes. But if you're standing and -- because you are vulnerable. You're vulnerable and people are charging," Musharraf says. "And all the film that you see, people are charging. Now, when people are there by the hundreds swarming around you, this man is one of them. Who can check these people at that stage?"

"And the mistake she made, if I understand you correctly, was stopping?" Logan asks.

"Yes. But then the mistake was not that," Musharraf says. "I mean, God was kind -- she went into the car in spite of the fact that she was waving and all that. She did go into the car. Now is the point. Why did she stand outside the car?"

"Why did she stand up in the hatch?" Logan asks.

"Entirely. Who's to blame?" Musharraf replies.

Asked who is to blame, Musharraf says, "Only she."

"So Benazir Bhutto, in your words, should bear some responsibility for what took place for her own death?" Logan asks.

"For standing up outside the car, I think it was she to blame alone. Nobody else. Responsibility is hers," Musharraf says.

"Don't you think it will make her supporters crazy to hear you say that?" Logan asks.

"Well, I don't think so. I mean, that's the fact. She shouldn't have stood up," Musharraf says.

Musharraf: Bhutto Knew Of Risks, Pakistan President Tells "60 Minutes" His Government Provided All Possible Security - CBS News

Too bad Benazir wasn't a member of this forum. Perhaps she'd have been able to take my oft mentioned caution to heart...

The wind does not respect a fool.

mikhail · 01-09-08, 04:49 PM

People seem to hate musharraf because he actually is trying to balance things out in a very dangerous part of the world. Certain people seem to look at him and think well he must be an ******* because America is always the bad guy and he actually backs them on some things.I think the pakistanis will look back at him as a good leader in a tough time.

WI Crippler · 01-09-08, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikhail

People seem to hate musharraf because he actually is trying to balance things out in a very dangerous part of the world. Certain people seem to look at him and think well he must be an ******* because America is always the bad guy and he actually backs them on some things.I think the pakistanis will look back at him as a good leader in a tough time.

I really am on the fence about Musharraf. On one hand I would like to think he is doing what he needs to do to keep the country stable and keep a stockpile of nukes out of extremists hands. On the other hand anytime the military assumes control over the civilian sector through a coup, it balances that country on the edge of a very sharp razor.

Red_Dave · 01-09-08, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikhail

People seem to hate musharraf because he actually is trying to balance things out in a very dangerous part of the world. Certain people seem to look at him and think well he must be an ******* because America is always the bad guy and he actually backs them on some things.I think the pakistanis will look back at him as a good leader in a tough time.

Hardly. People dislike musharraf because he tortures his critics and refuses to let the pakistani people have an adequate say in the running of there own country.

He's hardly balanceing things out either. If he had made progress in tackling islamic extreamism is pakistan, there wouldnt be sucicide bombings seamingly every 5 minutes and the border would be under control. This is no surprise given how historically islamic extreamism has thrived under dictatorships [see Iran]

mikhail · 01-09-08, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WI Crippler

I really am on the fence about Musharraf. On one hand I would like to think he is doing what he needs to do to keep the country stable and keep a stockpile of nukes out of extremists hands. On the other hand anytime the military assumes control over the civilian sector through a coup, it balances that country on the edge of a very sharp razor.

Ive read his book "in the line of fire" i would highly recomend it.Its not perfect when it comes to india its understandably biased (i know Americans may not be aware of how much hatred there is between indians and pakistanis ive never heard more racist comments then i have by hindus about muslims and vice versa)but it really is a page turner as a book so interesting.

I think the main thing i learnt from it was he clearly did want things to be better and isnt a powermad narcissit.

mikhail · 01-09-08, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red_Dave

Hardly. People dislike musharraf because he tortures his critics and refuses to let the pakistani people have an adequate say in the running of there own country.

He's hardly balanceing things out either. If he had made progress in tackling islamic extreamism is pakistan, there wouldnt be sucicide bombings seamingly every 5 minutes and the border would be under control. This is no surprise given how historically islamic extreamism has thrived under dictatorships [see Iran]

The man is very aware of the problems in pakistan he knows he treading a very fine balance.The fact bhuttos 19 year old son is being ushered in should show you who the illogical side.Its intresting you are having a go at him for being an evil dictator because he aint no saddam hussein he is taking the best action for current climate.

Red_Dave · 01-10-08, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikhail

The man is very aware of the problems in pakistan he knows he treading a very fine balance.The fact bhuttos 19 year old son is being ushered in should show you who the illogical side.Its intresting you are having a go at him for being an evil dictator because he aint no saddam hussein he is taking the best action for current climate.

And why, pray tell, is dictatorship and and state sponcerd torture of dissidents the best thing for the current climate?

MarcusMagnus · 01-13-08, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikhail

...because he aint no saddam hussein he is taking the best action for current climate.

You got that right. He's weaker. Far weaker. Within the next year, he's probably going to be dead. Which light post do you think they'll hang his body from?

His attempt to shift the blame to Bhutto in an attempt to weaken her cult of martyrdom, that is forming around her is in vane. He's going to lose power. It's just a matter of time.