Benazir Bhutto assassinated

Bloomberg news:

Dec. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in an election-rally attack in Rawalpindi, threatening the stability of a nuclear-armed nation that is a focal point of the West's war on terror.

At least 16 people died and more than 60 were injured in the gunfire-and-bomb attack on Bhutto's rally, police said. The opposition leader, 54, had survived a previous attempt on her life when she returned from exile two months ago.

Rioting broke out as her supporters gathered outside the hospital where her death was confirmed and in cities across Pakistan. President Pervez Musharraf, who had allowed her return to participate in parliamentary elections planned for Jan. 8, appealed for calm in a message broadcast on state television.

Not good. This country seems like its getting more and more out of control. And they have nukes. All of our nation's paranoia about Iraq and Iran would be better directed towards our alleged ally Pakistan. All the inflated fears we have about those nations are actually true of Pakistan: Pakistan has been a big supporter of the Taliban, has engaged in nuclear proliferation, and is possibly sheltering Al Qaeda and Bin Laden himself in its tribal western area. But Musharraf kisses Bush's ass, so he gets a pass. Not that we shouldn't be engaging Pakistan, but this is one of the many areas where US foreign policy seems backwards and out of sync with our interests.