Thompson Reacts to Bhutto Assassination

By: John Bentley
Topics: Fred Thompson

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley:

DES MOINES, IOWA -- Fred Thompson talked to CBS News about the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

"I had a chance to visit Pakistan a few years ago and I talked to Musharraf and other leaders there and I followed it closely ever since. It is an important part of the world," Thompson said.

Obviously there is a personal tragedy. There is a a national security interest as far as we are concerned. There is a stability question as far as Pakistan is concerned," he continued.

"It's a very touchy situtaion. I said earlier this morning that it looked to me that without question it was an Al-Qaeda backed operation. I notice in the last little while they have taken credit for it now."

"I think the fact that a secular woman had a chance of ascending to power in Pakistan again as prime minister probably drove the more looney of them to do something like that -- that in of itself. Plus the fact that this reminds us that this is part of a much greater picture - this is a war that we are engaged in and it is an international conflict...Pakistan and other parts of the world are part of this and they are under attack."

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by allan_59 December 28, 2007 1:34 AM EST: Fred is thoughtful, careful, insightful, & rock steady. How can anyone prefer the glib, issue-avoidance answers that Huckabee gives?; Reply to this comment


by sussababy December 27, 2007 9:57 PM EST: Well, thank God! A candidate that knows what he''s talking about!

I think Fred Thompson is very careful and thinks things through. Rudy might be someone you want on your side, but I think he''d be too much of a "shoot from the hip" type person. And you know, bless Rudy for stepping up to the plate when necessary, but it''s not like he was making national security decisions nor was he in negotiations with foreign governments. I''m not saying Fred Thompson was in that situation either, but in no way do I think Rudy would do a better job than Fred.; Reply to this comment


by bobtx1 December 27, 2007 7:48 PM EST: Unlike Huck, there''s no apology from Fred...and there won''t be one.
Fred is the one guy with foreign policy credentials and security clearances for quite some time. No on-job-training with him.; Reply to this comment