Countering Hate by Bob Pearson Haroon K Ullah

Author:Bob Pearson, Haroon K Ullah [Bob Pearson, Haroon K Ullah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, General
ISBN: 9780999662304
Google: rDLHtAEACAAJ
Publisher: 1845 Publishing
Published: 2018-03-13T05:51:24+00:00

CHAPTER 10

THE ELEMENTS OF TERRORISM

“Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.”

— BENAZIR BHUTTO

(the first woman to head a democratic government in a Muslim majority nation; Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996.)

With the charismatic presence of a Kennedy, the once and future Prime Minister of Pakistan, 54-year-old Benazir Bhutto, addressed the energized crowd of thousands of supporters who had gathered in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. It was early evening on December 27, 2007, and by that point in the race Bhutto was winning in most national polls. She was all but a shoe-in for a third term. An exciting and personable candidate, she was rare in the mean-streets racket of Pakistani politics. Security and terrorism remained a major concern, especially after a thwarted attempt to assassinate her eight weeks earlier, when she returned from years of exile. The bomb blast spared the popular leader, but it killed about 140 supporters and bystanders. So when Bhutto concluded her speech at the rally and the thunderous cheers broke out, her security detail immediately moved in to escort her toward a waiting motorcade. A rock star vibe permeated the whole event.

Bhutto had served as prime minister from 1988 to 1990 and again for three more years in 1993 to 1996. She was the daughter of the ousted and executed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who had served in the 1970s as both president and prime minister. After a military coup deposed her father’s regime in 1977, the 25-year-old Benazir was thrust into a leadership role in Pakistan’s largest opposition party, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which her father had founded. She eventually would become the first woman to hold the top political office in any Muslim-majority country — largely because of her popularity with common Pakistanis. So when the motorcade left the noisy rally, it seemed perfectly natural that she would ride in the car with the sunroof, which allowed her to stand and wave greetings to the many thousands who lined the streets. Anyone could see she was loved and adored by the masses, clearly their choice as the right person to lead Pakistan out of its political, economic and social problems.

As she smiled and nodded to the people in her gracious way, a nondescript man armed with a semi-automatic pistol jumped out of the crowd and opened fire on her. He was nervous and the rounds sprayed wildly, so he reached for something in his pocket. Instantly, he was ripped apart by the heavy-duty blast of a bomb strapped to his sides. Bhutto’s car was rocked, and she disappeared from view.

Pakistan is no stranger to terrorism, and it provides a rich field for research on extremism. Growing up in small-town America, one hears all the stories about places like Pakistan being the most dangerous place on earth. We see the scary pictures on TV, and our older neighbors talk about how modern Pakistan feels like the Cold War Soviet Union — a dark place with little rhyme or reason.

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