Huffington Post: Four Ways to Deal with the Bhutto Murder ("First, fire Condoleezza Rice")

Sherman Yellen

Four Ways to Deal with the Bhutto Murder

Posted December 28, 2007 | 10:54 AM (EST)

First, fire Condoleezza Rice. This woman has been at the center of every US foreign policy disaster from 9/11 through the assassination of Mme. Bhutto. It is a combo of bad judgment calls and a jinxed career based on a self-regarding, self-assured ignorance. If one didn't know better one might assume that she was responsible for the death of Lincoln, or that she stood on the grassy knoll in Dallas. Incompetence wed to arrogance might suit Bush's cabinet, but it does not play well in the real world. By placing their bets on Iraq rather than cleaning up the mess in Afghanistan, Secretary Rice and the president have set back US security by a decade.

Second, aim a fire hose at Rudy Giuliani to keep him from exploiting an already dreadful situation by claiming that he would be the man to resolve it. Never in American history has a candidate appeared who has so exploited tragedy for his own purposes. One could almost hear Rudy thinking "I'm in the game again!" What would Rudy do? Well, he would kiss his Judy for luck, or lust, and then proclaim that he would hang tough against the terrorists, without any understanding of the dynamics of Pakistan's politics. Rudy is the kid who throws the firecracker into the crowd to disperse it and causes more death and destruction. His fellow aspirants on the Republican side -- with the exception of Ron Paul -- would follow suit, minus the lust. Make it a very large fire hose that could keep them all at bay.

Third, let the Democrats observe a day of silence. No, make that a week of thinking. I'd ask for a month but a week is already stretching it. This is a tough problem with no easy answers, maybe no answers at all, just a time for questions. Our influence in the world has been squandered by a profligate administration, and our options are few, not to be wasted in proclamations, threats, or gassy odes to democracy. What authority we have left should be used quietly, instructively, and collectively with what remains of our allies. We don't want to hear a word from the Clinton camp about her alleged experience of which she has very little, or from Obama about fresh ideas until he has some. Practical policies, real strategies, not self-regarding rhetoric are required in putting out fires.

Four, let the American people consider how they have put themselves and their families in harm's way by re-electing George W. We now face a possibly renegade nuclear power, one that has connections to Al Qaida, and much of this has come as a result of the disastrous Bush/Cheney policies. Let all of us talk less, think more, and tread softly. These are dangerous times.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sherman-yellen/four-ways-to-deal-with-th_b_78561.html

particularly liked this one:

"Third, let the Democrats observe a day of silence. No, make that a week of thinking. I'd ask for a month but a week is already stretching it. "

She has no media appearances on this issue, and had none yesterday. She may agree with this article!

Here's our take :

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/traps/2007/12/27/benazir-bhuttos-assassination-and-a-lesson-south-africans-need-to-learn/

They all should express their regrets and shock, and say it is too early to make any pronouncements on that specific situation.