There are a multitude of writers now talking about Benazir's connection to the West and her links to public relations firm. They talk about the corrupion allegations against her husband or her niece who is a political foe. They speak ill of Benazir even in wake of her death.
Yet, I must say, that Benazir despite all of this, has the support of the majority of pakistanis. She also has the support of the Western governments.
As such, she wished to bridge east and west through a moderate stable democratic government.
Was it going to be easy? surely not. Was it possible? absolutely.
The western interests in pakistan looms large. Nuclear weapons, terrorism abounding in the NWFP and on the border between afghanistan and pakistan, in waziristan. and so forth.
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n the midst of all of that, there is the ever present tensions between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue and their fierce compettition to capture Western monies, and build up their armies and nuclear weapons arsenals.
There is a less than friendly government in Afghanistan which see pakistan as a spoiler and collaborator in destabilizing afghanistan. They believe, partially correctly, that the nefarious ISI (intelligence service) have members that are sympathetic to Taliban interest, taht the borders are not controlled as well as they ought to be, etc...
Then there is China. A huge megapower bordering pakistan with whom relationships are generally friendly and who lends a hand but keeps its distance from internal pakistani politics.
The major player is of course the US who endeavoured to collaborate with Benazir in bringing her back to power to legitimize a failed musharraf regime.
Now cards are out on the table, the Ace of spades has been played by the enemy, and benazir lies dead.
For the present, we are left with PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Faheem, who vows to fight for the prime ministership. His opponents, Nawaz Sharif of the Muslim League- Nawaz. A party with much popular support as Nawaz was the PM before Musharraf unceremoniously deposed him in 1999.
Nawaz Sharif is an industriialist with a simple phiolosphy of making Pakistan business friendly, and economically stronger.
The PPP is more populist but with establishment support (Western, US).
Then there is the Jamaat-i- islaami party (ultra conservative) led by maulana fazl-ur-rehman, a man with strong support in the NWFP province but not elsewhere. The party remains wil likely gain seats but only a limited number in a free and fair election.
The group most at risk in such elections is the MQM party, that tied to reign of "supreme leader" so to speak, Pervez Musharraf. Musharafs support in pakistan is so scant, that he rules only by his ties to the army.
In effect, his rule is army rule.
With elections he and the MQM stand to lose a huge majority in elections.
The truth is that the truth is not black and white.
George Bush's world of black and white is as always remains Gray in reality.
Whether Bilawal bhutto Zardari thrust into pakistani politics will ever really amount to anything is for the future. For now, we do not even know if he speaks Urdu, a prerequisite to being a pakistani politician.
As such, they will do whatever possible to delay election, alter the outcome, etc....they may even want to rid themselves of their opponents. (i.e. benazir) .
The truth is that musharraf was one week away from a humilating defeat.
How can he not be held accountable for her death?
How can he possibly not be complicit?
Especially in Rawalpindi, where there is the biggest army garrison in all of pakistan. It is an army town. It is pervez musharraf's town.