Bhutto’s son to lead party.
By on Dec 30th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Bhutto’s son to lead party.
The Financial Times reports that “Benazir Bhutto’s son Bilawal, a 19 year old student at Oxford University, will succeed the slain opposition leader as chairperson of Pakistan’s largest party.” In the meantime, Bilawal leaves the “running of the party to his father, Asif Ali Zardari, named a co-chairperson, while he finished his studies.” Bilawal adds:
“The chairmanship of the party is a position often occupied by martyrs and we do not know how long my father will be able to keep this position,” he said. “When I return I promise to lead the party as my mother wanted me to.”
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Dynasties have no place in a real democracy.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:09 pm#1: So, you’re saying that if your father or mother was a prominent political figure, you should not be/become one?
Comment by Frank M — December 30, 2007 @ 12:16 pm
Frank, this was a comment about democracy. Since you’re a fascist, you really shouldn’t get involved in the discussion; your opinions are worthless because you hate democracy.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:22 pm#1: So, you’re saying that if your father or mother was a prominent political figure, you should not be/become one?
Comment by Frank M — December 30, 2007 @ 12:16 pm
Most certainly proven by the Bush disaster, Francie. We ahven’t had this clueless a president since Reagan.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:24 pmJust keep in mind at all times, rightards, that if Al Gore had not been ripped off by the Republiscum party of treason, those towers would still be standing ,and Bin Laden would be imprisoned right now. that’s a fact you weaklings can consider for the rest of your miserable, worhtless, antiAmerican lives.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:27 pmJust keep in mind at all times, rightards, that if Al Gore had not been ripped off by the Republiscum party of treason, those towers would still be standing ,and Bin Laden would be imprisoned right now. that’s a fact you weaklings can consider for the rest of your miserable, worhtless, antiAmerican lives.
Comment by Lefty Patriot
You are certainly right about that. Can you see Gore ignoring the PDB and other evidence that Bush received that AQ was planning to attack us? I don’t think so. He would have no reason to want that to happen since Gore would not think that it is a good thing to create a military industrial complex just to make his buddies rich.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:32 pmI find it hard to believe that in a country as large as Pakistan there aren’t numerous people fit to lead that country. Putting a 19 year old BOY in charge with his corrupt father actually doing the leading is certainly not something that will have a good outcome. There have to be some adult non-corrupt Pakistanians who can step up to the plate.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:34 pmDEMOCRACY… sweet word used in America in a hypocritical way.
It’s interesting that we in America speek so much about DEMOcracy, when WE OURSELVES DO NOT HAVE ONE AT HOME!
What we have here is a COLLEGIOCRACY! This is not democracy. Had we had a true democracy we wouldn’t have a lacking-intelligence president who is quickly destroying this country. Al Gore would have been the president, by the will of the majority. People (demos) would be in charge, and not a gang led by schrinking Dick and lunatic Bush-it.
What kind of democracy is this, where the majority does not prevail or govern?
And we are trying to teach the world about democracy? This is pure hypocrisy. And the worst is that people around the worls are not stupid: they can see our failed “demo”cracy and laugh at us. With all reason.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:44 pm#4: Yeah. That ‘clueless’ president brought down the Warsaw Pact and ended the Cold War.
Comment by Frank M — December 30, 2007 @ 12:51 pm
How’s that koolaid, Frank? Is that one called Gullible Grape?
December 30th, 2007 at 1:01 pm#4: Yeah. That ‘clueless’ president brought down the Warsaw Pact and ended the Cold War.
Comment by Frank M
You hold tight to that fantasy Frank. Don’t let anything like reality interfere.
Don’t forget he also sold weapons to both sides of the Iran/Iraq war, and made a deal with terrorists while telling the American people, “we don’t deal with terrorists.”
A real profile in courage.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:07 pm#4: Yeah. That ‘clueless’ president brought down the Warsaw Pact and ended the Cold War.
Comment by Frank M — December 30, 2007 @ 12:51 pm
The Afghanistan war was the straw that broke the economically broke USSR’s back. You may see history revisited when it comes to the US.
And forget about Reagan, he was at the right place at the right time.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:09 pm“#4: Yeah. That ‘clueless’ president brought down the Warsaw Pact and ended the Cold War.”
HA HA HA HA HA. Oh, Frank M., you make me laff.
Cough.
Idiot.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:14 pm1: So, you’re saying that if your father or mother was a prominent political figure, you should not be/become one? -Frank M
Grover Norquist {R} and Bruce Fein thinks so.
Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform, endorses Bruce Fein’s draft of a Constitutional amendment to prevent political family dynasties
December 30th, 2007 at 1:21 pmhttp://www.thelibertypapers.org/2007/11/26/bruce-feins-anti-dynasty-amendment
Jenna and Not Jenna for president!
-GSD
December 30th, 2007 at 1:22 pmGrover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform, endorses Bruce Fein’s draft of a Constitutional amendment to prevent political family dynasties
Comment by Xisithrus — December 30, 2007 @ 1:21 pm
Why do I think he’s the Doughy Pantload is thinking more of a Clinton dynasty, than a Bush dynasty…?
December 30th, 2007 at 1:23 pmComment by Frank M — December 30, 2007 @ 12:51 pm
What? Reagan did no such thing, what you should be worried about is the current occupiers of Los Pinos restarting the cold-war.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:26 pmWhy do I think he’s the Doughy Pantload is thinking more of a Clinton dynasty, than a Bush dynasty…?
Comment by Zooey
Grover is certainly a sophist who makes good seem bad and bad seem good.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:28 pmActually, Zooey, I think the Amendment would take place after this election cycle and would not pertain to Clinton if she were to win.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:28 pmIt seems that in Pakistan political parties form around individual people or families, not the other way around. You saw the same thing with the Gandhi family in India.
As far as family dynasties and their role in a democracy…well, there is a long tradition of this, not just in the US (Adams family, Harrisons, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Bush-Clinton) but in the Classical world of the Roman Republic and Ancient Athens as well. You could make the argument that there have rarely been democracies of any sort that DIDN”T produce family dynasties.
As far as this 19 year old kid goes….good luck, kid! I was trying to arrange my wedding and be a full time student at that age. I am assuming he is intended as a figurehead and not much more.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:30 pmActually, Zooey, I think the Amendment would take place after this election cycle and would not pertain to Clinton if she were to win.
Comment by Xisithrus — December 30, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
Somehow, I think that Amendment ain’t happening. ;)
December 30th, 2007 at 1:38 pmWhy do I think he’s the Doughy Pantload is thinking more of a Clinton dynasty, than a Bush dynasty…?
Comment by Zooey — December 30, 2007 @ 1:23 pm
She’d have divorced Bill, had her presidential bid been jeopardized. :-D
December 30th, 2007 at 1:40 pmTo be fair, the Roman Republic had a limited number of families to choose from. Of course, this may be true in Pakistan for all I know; it seems clear that the only people “qualified” to serve in such positions come from elite families — or ascend to such status through the military.
I think it’s a huge mistake to apply our own cultural standards to Pakistan, and I suspect none of us here are conversant enough with that culture to make the call.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:42 pmComment by Xisithrus — December 30, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
Somehow, I think that Amendment ain’t happening. ;)
Comment by Zooey —
The brothers Romney would all have to look for honest work – oh, no!
December 30th, 2007 at 1:42 pmSomehow, I think that Amendment ain’t happening. ;) -Zooey
Most likely not. Notice that Grovers smaller government morphed into a bigger one.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:42 pmI am assuming he is intended as a figurehead and not much more.
Comment by Keltoi at Night — December 30, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
wel, that’s what the Republiscims expected of Bush, but he managed to screw things up beyond their own nightmares, so who knows? In any event, most any 19-year-old kid will have more on the ball than our Deserter-In-Chief ever did.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:42 pmA 19 year old is not going to solve the problems of Pakistan.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:45 pmI think it’s a huge mistake to apply our own cultural standards to Pakistan, and I suspect none of us here are conversant enough with that culture to make the call.
Comment by gummitch — December 30, 2007 @ 1:42 pm
That includes most of the Presidential candidates, alas. I thought McCain and Hillary sounded the most “Presidential” in their responses to the assassination. But Pakistan is a huge freakin mess….so long as the Taliban and AQ have Waziristan as a safe haven attacks like this and similar ones in Afghanistan will contiune forever.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:47 pmMany years ago, even before Bush 41, I read a very enlightening article about “the American royalty”. The author highlighted the hereditary nature of non-elected government posts. Many of the “behind the scenes” people in Washington are direct descendants of the “Founding Fathers”. There are similar dynasties in state and local governments.
And the Chimperror? Worst President Ever!!! It’s not even a contest. No previous blunder can compare with invading the wrong country. Our nation will be extremely lucky to ever recover what Bushco has pissed away.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:47 pmThe brothers Romney would all have to look for honest work – oh, no!
Comment by barfly — December 30, 2007 @ 1:42 pm
OMG, bite your tongue.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:48 pmMost likely not. Notice that Grovers smaller government morphed into a bigger one.
Comment by Xisithrus — December 30, 2007 @ 1:42 pm
Hey, just like Ronnie Raygun’s!
December 30th, 2007 at 1:52 pmIt looks like the election of Jan. 8 is going to be postponed, much to the chagrine of GWB. Why would he be pushing this election so hard? Check out this shocking admission by Benazir Bhutto when interviewed by Sir David Frost on al-Jazeera TV. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIO8B6fpFSQ
December 30th, 2007 at 2:03 pmRonnie looks like a great President compared to the Chimp. So would a potted plant, a well adjusted 5 year old, or, Satan himself.
December 30th, 2007 at 2:06 pmAnd a political dynasty was thus born in Pakistan…
December 30th, 2007 at 2:09 pmSounds like a regency for the young man. Let’s see how the Bhutto faction responds. It’s up to that political party to choose its leaders, and if they don’t choose wisely, their future will be on its downswing.
December 30th, 2007 at 2:42 pmI fear it will be a short lived “dynasty” if they continue to oppose Musharraf. Few of his opponents die of natural causes.
December 30th, 2007 at 3:23 pmIgnoring for the moment the “convenience” of Bhutto’s death (and if Al Q killed Bhutto, wouldn’t that imply that Al Q supports Musharaff ? At least a possibility to be considered ?)
What I’ve seen says that Shrub is pushing for elections to be held on the planned schedule (the fact that they have a pro forma election means democracy, whether the election is fair or not ? What a demagogue). Is there any way for Bilawal Bhutto to galvanize support in a couple of weeks ?
December 30th, 2007 at 4:58 pmComment by tomazulob — December 30, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
And check out why the hell the BBC is censoring this video on their website!
December 30th, 2007 at 5:55 pmIf the PPP is Pakistans hope for a Democracy (Bhutto Dynasty), then welcome to the club and the Bush Dynasty’s version of Democracy.
December 30th, 2007 at 7:55 pmhttp://progressiveindependent.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=80322
US to integrage its missile system with Israel ?! House vote- 394-30
Dec-31-07
WTF – Israel to integrage its missile system with America’s?
Our missile defense system isn’t even integrated with NATO and we’re going to integrate it with Israel?
This is effing obscene. Why not just save ourselves a lot of trouble, hand them the launch keys and directly subordinate our military to Tel Aviv?
Bill includes U.S.-Israel missile coordination
Published: 12/14/2007
Congress is set to approve a plan to integrate the U.S. and Israeli missile defense systems.
The proposal, authored by U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), is part of the Defense Authorization Act passed late Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representatives and due to be considered by the Senate before Christmas break. Under the proposal, the secretary of defense must within six months present a plan to Congress a plan “to improve the coordination, interoperability, and integration of the U.S. National Ballistic Missile Defense System with Israel’s missile defense architecture,” a statement from Kirk’s office said.
Such a plan will help defend Israel against reported plans by Iran to build missiles that can reach Israel, Kirk said. “Israel will be the first and only country to fully integrate with the American missile defense architecture,” the statement said. “It is a symbol of our shared values and a safer 21st century.
http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/105895.ht...
According to The Washington Report On Middle East Affairs Pro-Israel PAC Contributions to 2006 Congressional Candidates, U.S. Rep Mark Kirk (R-Ill) received $66,064 from the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee the 2005-2006 election cycle with a career total of $119,382
Kirk Proposal to Integrate U.S. National Missile Defense with Israel Carries Handily in House of
Representatives
December 30th, 2007 at 11:30 pmnow there’s a meritocracy for you!
or is that cleptocracy?
December 31st, 2007 at 2:12 pm