Bhutto Assassination Hits Home Locally

Why should Americans care about the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto? The Asian nation shares a lengthy border with Afghanistan, where some 19,000 US troops are fighting a battle against extremists loyal to the deposed Taliban government. It is also a country that is fighting its own battle against extremists. And then, there are the nuclear weapons. Pakistan became a nuclear power in the 1980s, and reportedly has nuclear arms small enough to be delivered as warheads atop missiles. That is a big reason Pakistan has been on the radar screen of US presidents and foreign policy makers. Islamic extremists are battling moderate forces for control of Pakistan, and Benazir Bhutto was a powerful representation of moderation. Pakistani expatriots like Evansville Doctor Muhammad Hussain say Bhutto was a great hope for the future of the country. "She is one of the few political leaders in Pakistan who had the courage to come up and say Pakistan should fight the terrorists, fundementalists and extremists," Hussain said. A moderate government in Pakistan would be a boon to US foreign policy, not only by serving to support American efforts in Afghanistan, but also by keeping regional nuclear aggression in check. Dr. Hussain hopes Americans are paying close attention to the situation in his native land, and understand the potential power vacuum that Bhuttos assassination caused. "There has to be support from this country for anyone who is a political leader... in favor of moderation," said Hussain.