If you haven't heard it already, you will soon--a few hours ago, Benazir Bhutto, the Harvard and Oxford educated twice-former prime minister of Pakistan was a assassinated--victim of multiple gunshots suffered in the wake of a suicide bombing.

Earlier, another assassination attempt was made on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who fortunately had already left his offices. Four were killed in that attack.

While its clear that these attacks were staged by Taliban-al Qaeda elements, Bhutto's supporters blamed Pervez Musharref--a form of Pakistan Bush-derangement syndrome no doubt.

Musharref and Bhutto were clearly put into bed together by the U.S., which saw a vulnerability not to mention a philosophical problem being allied so closely with a dictator while building democracy elsewhere. With Bhutto's election, the U.S. would have broadened its support within the Pakistan power structure beyond the military into its civil institutions, creating over time, a more natural ally. Bhutto was a singular figure in this plan and that made her a prime target. Musharref will be blamed for not doing enough to protect her, but frankly, her campaign appearances were incredibly reckless, especially in light of the previous attempts.

This can only be termed as a significant win for al Qaeda.

You can believe that a lot of people will be sitting around tables scratching their heads for the next couple of months, wondering what to do next.

Gateway Pundit

Jules Crittenden

I’d feel slightly better if Rumsfeld had doubled the size of the Army, and wish Bush and Congress would crank that up. This war is far from over. This war is no artificial Bush creation or figment of anyone’s imagination, and should still be very much part of our own election, wishful thinking notwithstanding.

They tried and failed when she returned to Pakistan in October. They tried and failed with a baby suicide bomber. Yesterday, they stopped a 15-year-old with a bomb packed full of nails trying to kill her. Today, they succeeded. Dammit, dammit, dammit: