Jan. 6, 2008
Musharraf: Bhutto Knew Of Risks
Pakistan President Tells "60 Minutes" His Government Provided All Possible Security
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President Musharraf
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf talks to Lara Logan in his first one-on-one interview since the assassination of his chief political rival, Benazir Bhutto.
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President Pervez Musharraf said his government did everything it could to provide the security Benazir Bhutto needed. (CBS)
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Pakistan In Crisis
Political strife, protests and violent attacks torment nation struggling for stability.
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Bhutto Killed In Bombing
The bomb went off just minutes after Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto spoke to thousands of supporters.
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"No, I challenge-- I don't accept that at all. There is no proof whatsoever that he is here in Pakistan," Musharraf says.
"But are you looking for him?" Logan asks.
"No, again, the same answer," Musharraf says. "We are not particularly looking for him but we are operating against terrorists and al Qaeda and militant Taliban. And in the process, obviously, it is combined, maybe we are looking for him also. Yes. If he's here?"
Musharraf was quick to blame Bhutto's assassination on al Qaeda, particularly a local extremist named Beitullah Mehsud, who operates out of Pakistan's lawless tribal region where both al Qaeda and the Taliban enjoy widespread support.
"Point two percent of our population is in South Waziristan and North Waziristan. Point two percent," Musharraf says.
"Well, that point two percent has be able to cause a lot of trouble," Logan remarks.
"Yes. We must not say that Taliban are in Pakistan. Pakistan, this is a frontier region. Two tribal agencies of Pakistan," Musharraf says.
"It's still inside Pakistan. Any way you look at it," Logan points out.
"But it's a small part the population and it is this population where they hide and they get support," Musharraf says.
"But they regrouped under…," Logan says.
"Yes, indeed," Musharraf says.
"…your watch?" Logan says.
"No, they regrouped because -- not under us. Because of Afghanistan. Okay?" Musharraf says.
"But under your term as president," Logan remarks.
"Yes. Yes, indeed," Musharraf acknowledges.
"They have regrouped and they are stronger than ever," Logan says.
"Well, Taliban. Yes. They may be. They may be getting stronger. I can’t say for sure," Musharraf says.
Asked if the U.S. shares any of the blame in this, Musharraf says, "Yes, of course. I mean everyone, the whole coalition should share the blame for not succeeding."
Of all the issues 60 Minutes discussed with Musharraf, the one that seemed to affect him the most personally, was about accusations that he may somehow have been involved in Bhutto's death.
"There have been suggestions among certain quarters, particularly amongst Benazir Bhutto's supporters, that you may have had a hand in her killing," Logan says.
"This is unfortunately a very baseless allegation. Nobody has a right to blame anyone for killing anyone unless they have the proof. I've lived in a family which believes in values - it believes in certain principles. It stands for character. And I stand for that," Musharraf says. "Why would I be informing her about all these intelligence reports that we have against her, the threat to her? Why would I be doing that? Why would I be concerned about telling her all this? 'Don’t go there, don’t do this, don’t do that.' So these are all indicators. I can't prove it legally, I can't prove my innocence legally. But I can prove it only through what I stand for as a person."
Produced By Max McClellan, Jeff Newton and Harry Radliffe
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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See all 172 CommentsBoth dictators considering becoming a nuclear power, but Musharraf managed to do it-- all the while, under the non-proliferation scrutiny of both the US and Europe.
After 911, congress told Bush to find bin Laden in Afghanistan. Enlisting the aid of Pakistan, Bush pointedly did not demand Pakistan surrender its bombs. Nor did he seriously question Pakistan''''s nuclear transfers to other Islamic states of Iran, Libya, and Malasia. Or even those to North Korea.
Instead, he praised Musharraf, whose regime had engineered the Islamic bomb and fostered nuclear proliferation for some 30 years, and attacked... Iraq.
Clearly, WMDs never were the security issue Bush claimed. By attacking Iraq, which had no bomb of its own, and ignoring Pakistan, which had both bomb and delivery system ready, Bush revealed Iraqi oil reserves were his primary objective.
Another chilling example of security in Pakistan, our "finest ally" in the region. Now, consider the parallels between Saddam and Musharraf...
Both maintained secret police agencies that matched the Gestapo for cruelty. Both aspired to be "populists" in the sense of broad popular support, yet routinely pitted one social class or religious group against another.
While claiming to represent the wishes of their people, both scourged every effort at democratic reforms and hounded political opposition into exile.
Both defied the rule of law, establishing themselves as the ultimate authority. Both were bitter enemies of certain Islamic religious hierarchs, and clashes between the army/secret police and Islamic clergy were frequent and bloody.
One or both dictators were hailed by a president named Bush as staunch allies in the region.
(see The Real WMD Threat-- 2)
The Bush administration puts out that they INFORMED Ms. Bhutto of the threats! Now Musharraf proclaims it was her OWN fault that she was murdered, because she was informed. Whatta pair!
If this wasn''t so tragic it could be a spin comedy! They expect the world to buy this????
If she was a citizen of her country, and they knew that threats were being made to MURDER her! Where were all the police that should have been surrounding her to protect her from it? THIS IS NUTS!
Who cares what this washed up, brutal military dicator, with nukes, has to say?
Blaming the victim is an age old favorite tactic of despots, just as our current leaders are now attempting to blame the people of Iraq, for the misery that we have subjected them to, as a result of our criminal war of aggression.
Heckuva'' job, Pervie!!!
When can we expect the next fake and contrived video from the "American" Zionist poser, Adam Gadahn, (Pearlman)? I could use a good laugh.
Ooga-booga!!!
Posted by runningralph
So it was her fault that Musharraf did not provide her with adequate security, as she requested? Now, while there is still a long ways to go before proving if Musharraf had a direct hand in her death, but he sure helped things by his lack in progress in routing those same jihadist groups out of his country, as he promised seven years ago. But, like Bush, the only promises he keeps are the ones that benefit him and his cronies, and no one else. And if Bhutto did not return to Pakistan, how could she have run for office? Or was she supposed to just shut up and go away, like Musharraf and others wanted her to?
From the looks of it, Ms. Bhutto was just another U.S. Corporate stooge, and I am glad that she will not be installed as the new "leader" of Pakistan, though this does not excuse her being executed by the Musharraf regime.
Posted by GuRuSaVaNt
So, she should have just shut up and stayed in the kitchen? Such an enlightened point of view from you.
The fact is, there is NOT one woman in this world safer because of this war.
The other fact is, is that it was an illegal war, before Mr. Bush even started it.
The other fact is, that he lied to justify going over their and commiting his illegal war.
So, yes, I blame the incompetence and corruptness of this whole thing on Mr. Bush, even in Pakistan, because once again, he is the instigator of chaos and fear in ANOTHER country! ALL FOR HIS BLANKETY BLANK OIL!
Another chilling example of security in Pakistan, our "finest ally" in the region. Now, consider the parallels between Saddam and Musharraf...
Both maintained secret police agencies that matched the Gestapo for cruelty. Both aspired to be "populists" in the sense of broad popular support, yet routinely pitted one social class or religious group against another.
While claiming to represent the wishes of their people, both scourged every effort at democratic reforms and hounded political opposition into exile.
Both defied the rule of law, establishing themselves as the ultimate authority. Both were bitter enemies of certain Islamic religious hierarchs, and clashes between the army/secret police and Islamic clergy were frequent and bloody.
One or both dictators were hailed by a president named Bush as staunch allies in the region.
(see The Real WMD Threat-- 2)
Posted by alphaa10
Try substituting "Bush" for "Saddam" and you could get pretty much the same outcome. So what''s your point???
GuRuSaVaNt,
Re: "(after i made an effort to COMMENT)"
Your comment posted. It appears that it did not stand up well to scrutiny.
If you simply wish to share your thoughts, without discussion, perhaps you should creat a Blog. This venue is wide open to discussion, and you will find discussion is quite welcome here, among most contributors.
Like JFK''s assassination and Roswell, we are never going to learn the REAL truth about what happened but we all know what SHOULD happen.
Musharraf should be overthrown (and probably will be and replaced with Osama Bin Laden in charge of all those nukes!) and the Great Emperor Bush II and Darth Vader Cheney should be arrested and tried in an international court for war crimes and *** up the world!
SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!
Edward1975,
Re: "She was in exile for a reason and to return, invited what ocurred."
Good to know. If you are executed upon returning to one of the public bathrooms from which you have been previously "exiled", we will content in knowing that it was justified.
I think that is what the US administration decided. They asked Musharraf to stand for election and resign from the military and then have parliamentary elections. The US also negotiated for Bhutto to return and stand for Parliament and Prime Minister.
She named the suspects in an e-mail--and one of them was the high-ranking Mucharaff official who was in charge of her security! Where did the cops go just before the assassination? Why didn''t Musharaff allow the foreign bodyguards into the country that she wanted--HE REFUSED THEM VISAS!!
And, there still remains the issue of the David Frost interview with Ms. Bhutto where she said that OSAMA HAD BEEN MURDERED! Frost didn''t even bat an eye... didn''t even ask a follow-up to that astounding revelation from a internationally respected poltician.
She had also announced that she was going to talk to the Islamists...take a step back from the Neo-Con war against the world.
The only question that remains for Pakistanis today is what bridge would be most suitable to display the last mortal remains of their own little Mussolini...
Edward1975,
re: "Murder is never justified, but you can''t put yourself in a position where you swing the odds huge in that area, and be surprised when it happens."
Thank you for the clarification.
All we know is that:
1. There was an explosion close to her.
2. A gunman was near her and the explosion.
3. She was standing through a double door sun roof with a large latch
4. The wound was a head wound.
5. Head shot with a hand gun is a hard shot.
6. The crowd was immense and chaotic
7. US had warned her about public gatherings.
The US will pay dearly for his association.
Benazir Bhutto Rest In Peace.
Musharraf knows who killed Bhutto, even if he didn''t directly order it.
donbl1,
Re: "Conspiracy? We don''t know."
Do you suppose that just one person acted alone, in shooting at Bhutto, and in planting, and detonating the bomb?
Do you understand the definition of the word "conspiracy"?
Posted by Prinzowhales
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The people that went to work on 9-11 had no reason to believe that planes would be flown into the buildings. Bhutto returned to a country in a state of unrest. She was warned that she would be assasinated. There was already a failed attempt when she first returned. She put herself out there. What good is a bullet and bomb proof vehicle if you stick your head out through the top? She was murdered. She didn''t put the gun to her head and do it herself and those that murdered her are guilty. She was warned. Your comparison is ridiculous.
rohink,
Re: "The people that went to work on 9-11 had no reason to believe that planes would be flown into the buildings."
The Israelis that were notified by Odigo ahead of time, had some idea. That''s why they stayed home that day.
www.countercurrents.org/clifford030108.htm
Some of the CIA goons that worked in WTC7 (before it collapsed for no apparent reason), probably knew as well.
Did I read something wrong, or wasn''t she encouraged to go back by US diplomats? Wasn''t she encouraged to go back and help Musharraf unite all the moderates so that together they could fight off the extrimists and Al Queda? Wasn''t that the proposed plan?
Clearly that was not the Pervez Musharraf plan...
Is that convenient or what?
I give him one more year before we dispose of our latest friend.
Heckuva'' job, Pervie!
###
CBS,
I am really looking forward to the next "ooga-booga" performance from B movie actor, and cartoonish Zionist, Adam Gadahn (Pearlman).
Please don''t make me wait all day.
For one, we all know you can''t trust Bush worth a flip. He tends to lie every time he opens his mouth...(just like this morning stating that our economy has a strong solid base--hogwarsh--we have no base--it''s all hocked to the gills!)
For two, Bush knew or has to know that Musharraf is a rogue, and has no intention of sharing power with anybody. He intends to stay in that palace no matter what ANYBODY says. And is a very dangerous man.
So, why was she encouraged to go back to Pakistan? Why did Musharraf even allow her to come back?
Seems to me like both of these entites wanted her dead! And both of them did not want her to be perceived as having died a martyr!
Seems to me like both of them did not want to upset the protection of Al Queda in Pakistan.
-- Bush doesn''t like him because he hasn''t caught OBL -- His own country doesn''t like him because they say Musharraf''s friendship with the USA brought terrorism to their country.
forget it and Vote for Expo 2015 !!! for Milano !!!
www.infoexpo2015.com
Bhutto stood a very good chance of winning free elections so he had her taken out.
This way, Musharraf can continue his dictatorship of Pakistan.
While this dictator is in charge, al-Qaeda will always have a safe haven in Pakistan - despite his empty promises.
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