Filibuster Cartoons
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Benazir Bhutto, the first Muslim woman ever elected to serve as a head of state, was assasinated early this morning in Pakistan.
Ms. Bhutto was a career politician, and as such, no saint. When she ruled Pakistan in the 1990′s her government was accussed of widespread corruption and turning a blind eye to Islamic radicalism. But after General Musharraf’s coup exiled her from the country and banned her from politics she began to grow in stature, and was reborn a symbol of democratic opposition to military rule. With US-backing, she recently was able to return to Pakistan, and seemed poised to win election back to office now that a weakened and retreating Musharraf has agreed to hold open elections.
Bhutto can be seen as a metaphor for democracy in many ways. Flawed and decidely imperfect, but still a hopeful alternative to many far worse options. Her murder is the murder of this hope, both in Pakistan specicially, and the larger Islamic world.
