"The Murder of One Tough Lady"
In my lifetime, I have admired a variety of women who have been on the World Stage for their grace, courage and resolve. Margaret Thatcher, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott-King, Mother Theresa all come to mind. Benazir Bhutto knew how deadly Pakistani Politics can be. Her father was killed by a political rival back in 1979. With her beauty, Radcliffe education and eloquence, Mrs Bhutto could have made a fine career for herself in the News Media,business or a number of other ways. Instead, she became to first famale president of ANY Islamic nation.
After being forced into Exile, she could have stayed away from Pakistan's violence and growing fury among it's Islamic fundamentalists who have pretty much free reign within the country.
Yet, she chose to return to her native Pakistan to be involved in the Political process. In her heart, she had to know that political and religious extremists would do everything in their power to kill her. She even talked about her near miss in October:
It has now been more than two weeks since the horrific assassination attempt against me and the police have still not filed my complaint. They filed their own report without taking statements from eyewitnesses on the truck targeted for the terrorist attack which resulted in the death of more than 158 of my supporters and security guards.
Soon thereafter, I was asked by authorities not to travel in cars with tinted windows -- which protected me from identification by terrorists -- or travel with privately armed guards.
I began to feel the net was being tightened around me when police security outside my home in Karachi was reduced, even as I was told that other assassination plots were in the offing.
Today, after several near missess, they finally succeeded in killing her. It takes uncommon courage to know a situation will put your life at risk, but yet in the name of Democracy, Mrs Bhutto returned to Pakistan. In my opinion, she is the bravest woman I have ever seen. Pakistan's loss is our loss.
