(no subject)

[winterbadger]

Bhutto killed at rally

I'm not a big fan of Benazir Bhutto's, but I can't see how this does anything but make the situation worse.

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you and me both.

[flewellyn.livejournal.com]

She was, at least, democratically elected. The current military dictator is just that.

[winterbadger]

Bhutto was elected twice, yes (well, her party was elected, so she was appointed PM). I don't know anything about the nature of the elections, so I can't comment on their being democratic or not. She was, also, twice removed from office by the then-president on charges of corruption.

Musharraf was also elected, in 2004, in the way that presidents are elected in Pakistan--a vote of the national parliament and the provincial assemblies. He also won a referendum on his government in 2002. Democratic? Not by most people's standards here, given that he had overthrown the elected government several years before. However, political parties supporting his rule won elections in 2002, and the national parliament formed by them passed laws legitimising his actions in 1999.

I would never claim that Musharraf was a democratically elected leader. On the other hand, I think he has been an effective leader for Pakistan. Pakistan is not the United States, or the UK. I'm not sure that what works (sort of, when the GOP allows it to) here is what will work best in Pakistan.

[flewellyn.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't mistake me. I'm not a "democracy means the US system, and the US system is the best way" person. In several ways, I think parliamentary systems are overall more democratic, more truly representative of the people. It's just that, well, I have this strange distrust of people who come to power through military coup d'etat.

[winterbadger]

Whereas I guess I reserve my distrust for people who *pretend* to come to power through democratic means, but steal elections and use the power of their office for personal gain and to harm their country's most important beliefs. :-) Musharraf is a rogue, but he doesn't pretend otherwise; he is a thief, but an honest thief. Unlike other presidents...

[sun-in-splendor.livejournal.com]

"...and George Bush is an honorable man."

[winterbadger]

Him iz a grate 'Murkin.

[flewellyn.livejournal.com]

That might be a small consolation, but I don't feel any more comfortable with an honest dictator.

[cmlc.livejournal.com]

Pakistan seems to be full of people who are TRYING to make the situation worse :-(