Bhutto's excuse for plundering $1.5 billion from Pakistan's treasury:

http://www.parade.com/benazir_bhutto_interview.html

Bhutto still insists that there are no foreign bank accounts in her name. I suggest that most are in the names of her mother or of friends. She feigns surprise—what could others’ finances have to do with her? “I’m an independent legal entity!” she protests. “What’s the difference between you and me?”

“One point five billion dollars,” I reply—the amount the Pakistani government contends that she and her husband pocketed while in power. She also allegedly siphoned funds from the U.N. Oil for Food program. Her defense: “Six other companies in Pakistan did it. Nobody investigated them.”

This woman didn't come out of exile expecting to be able to loot Pakistan's treasury. She went knowing it would probably be her death.

..."she probably deserved it" twist on this murder by Bush's blood brother. She wasn't perfect but I believe she was sincere. Which is more than I can say for our illustrious :::gag::: leader :::gag:::.

you called bush a LEADER?

I repeat, SHAME!

I should have added :sarcasm: in addition to my :gags:. Thank you!

Peace...

. . .leader and Bush in the same sentence, ever again!
The Professor

...and focus on the REAL issues at hand and not me writing "Bush" and "leader" in the same sentence.

one can be both corrupt and capable of standing up for positive change, as well.

In order to gain, regain, or retain power. It's been like that since the beginning. She may have risked her life with her own self interests in mind, she would not be histories first. In fact just another in a long, long line.

Some can call the above bravery, others self serving. I don't know which, i'm a dock worker not a mind reader.

Unproven allegations from a corrupt government are being used even on DU to sully the name of a pro-democracy politician upon death. About as smart as believing anything the Bush administration says about its opponents.


I personally do not have evidence either way if Bhutto was corrupt, but if I have to choose among the competing parties, I will continue to doubt the veracity of her opponents in that region.

The Swiss convicted her.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3125277.stm

who opposed her pro-democracy reforms. The Swiss are really great on most things, but certainly not perfect- especially when it comes to finance issues. Bhutto was certainly not perfect either, but the charges against her still stand as more politically motivated than anything.

I think every single leader has either been corrupt or been framed as being corrupt. Our politicians are squeaky clean compared to some of these leaders in the rest of the world.

this current bunch that have blown all our minds - I don't think any of our politicians have funnelled billions into personal bank accounts. Yeah, I'd say that Jackson dude with a few thousand in the freezer is squeaky clean compared to some of these other world leaders. And the scandal of a $400 hair cut in comparison??? We're babes in the woods of global corruption.

That this crew has considerably increased our overall average.

All good, and the bad guy all bad. Reality is more grey.

When I heard she was coming back from exile, I thought 'is she nuts, they're going to kill her!'. And I'm no Pakistan expert. She must have known the chances were high to go down, and she still came back. Not much you can do with money when you're dead. Billions can't buy the family another wife or mother.

Were you / are you willing to take the risk she did (and lost)?

Redstone

this is like an american politician getting killed and someone posting about some campaign contribution that any other candidate would take.

Cowards, exploiters, and the unprincipled ALWAYS pretend to demand perfection of those who behave courageously - sneering at "purists" and pissing on the graves of those who put themselves in harm's way as "stupid" for doing so. Failing to show there's anything they'd die for, they serve to make a world where there's nothing worth living for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benazir_Bhutto#Charges_of_corruption

Difficult to figure out if they're true, but there's quite a number of them, involving numerous countries.

the WOT???

How is that MONEY being spent???

she was a populist (in another country--those in the US are "unelectable"), she was female, she was less totalitarian than the military regime, and she was more secular than the Islamic fundies

repukes loved her because . . .

she was incompetent and she was corrupt

and can not account for any of it. Bush* sent eight billion in cold hard cash, hundred dollar bills, shrink wrapped and loaded on pallets and sent on four huge Cargo jets to Iraq never to be seen again, and no one knows anything...

but what does one call Musharraf?

Do you really believe Bhutto is dead?

Show me the proof.

The media shows us everything up 'til the "killing", yet no video.

What's wrong with that picture?

and then her attacker blow himself and innocents to pieces?

We have a sarcasm smiley here at DU you can use but I'm not sure it applies here. Anyway welcome and enjoy your stay.

I don't believe this for a second.

The media is now reporting Bhutto hit her head and died, eh?

Sure, I believe that (not).

The media is in full-spin mode.

Bhotto is alive. Show me the video that she died -- bet you can't.

And there's a shoot-to-kill order there for anyone even thinking about reearthing Bhutto's grave -- wonder why.

Still think she died... check out this video... unfortunately, the camera moves away just before the blast:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article628825.ece

:hi:

I'm not suggesting Bhutto was a saint, but I hardly think embezzlement is grounds for assassination. What a sickening OP.

With perhaps a little dash of Ahmad Chalabi.

That is to say, she was the annointed replacement, so she had tons of positive coverage in the western media. The most populist (and popular) candidate, if I understand correctly, is actually a man who was exiled by Musharraf. Can't remember his name at the moment.

I'm no expert on Pakistan, but I have to say-- DU seems to have jumped to alot of conclusions on this, and I'm not sure why. Is it just because she was viewed as an opponent of Musharraf? Again, as I understand it, she was the US government's chosen alternative to Musharraf. That's why she was there. She wasn't sacrificing herself to advance democracy, she'd finagled a deal with the Bush Administration that would allow her to at the very least, share power with Musharraf.

ask any Pakistani