Politicizing Bhutto's Death

"If the U.S. had not invaded Iraq, Benazir Bhutto would be alive today? Please.

The threat of militant Islamist extremism in Pakistan predates the Iraq war by more than a decade; Axelrod ought to take in a screening of "Charlie Wilson's War." The threat grew, and developed, and incubated, independent of U.S. policy for decades. It is naive folly to believe that if the U.S. had just had the right foreign policy, we could prevent some extremist from conducting an assassination.

To the best of our knowledge, the U.S. has not taken military action in Pakistan, beyond the rare hellfire missile launched from an unmanned drone. It's not like our forces in Iraq would be fighting al-Qaeda in Pakistan if the U.S. had not invaded Iraq. (Right? Or would President Obama have announced the invasion of Pakistan in 2003?) We don't know the exact who and how and where on this asssassination plot, but the trail has yet to lead outside of Pakistan. I have yet to see any compelling evidence that there is anything the U.S. could have done to prevent this.

I find it odd to be out defending Hillary Clinton like this, but the Obama camp has deployed a desperate flailing argument that suggests they have absolutely no familiarity with threats from within Pakistan."

campaignspot.nationalreview.co
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"The Obama campaign is in a panic. Mr. Axelrod's reprehensible statement is meant to deflect the spotlight and rescue his candidate, because as people think about the implications of Benazir Bhutto's assassination one thing comes to mind and it isn't the leadership experience of Barack Obama.

"Bhutto's death will "call into issue the judgment: who's made the right judgments," Axelrod said. "Obviously, one of the reasons that Pakistan is in the distress that it's in is because al-Qaeda is resurgent, has become more powerful within that country and that's a consequence of us taking the eye off the ball and making the wrong judgment in going into Iraq. That's a serious difference between these candidates and I'm sure that people will take that into consideration." ... ..

... .. "(Clinton) was a strong supporter of the war in Iraq, which we would submit, was one of the reasons why we were diverted from Afghanistan, Pakistan and al-Qaeda, who may have been players in this event today, so that's a judgment she'll have to defend," Axelrod said. "I know Woody Allen said that 80% of life is just showing up but there's actually more to being proficient in foreign policy than just having been around for a long time. You also have to have good judgment. Obama was willing to split with the conventional wisdom on Iraq and many of these other issues and I think events have borne out his judgment."

International tragedy has made Barack Obama and his campaign desperate for fear their paper thin experience in foreign policy will be weighed as voters ready for the Iowa primaries. It's in moments of crisis you find out what a candidate has and the strength of his character to respond to real dangers in the world. Another example of Mr. Obama's campaign of "hope," no doubt.

But Mr. Axelrod has stepped into it now. Blaming Clinton?

This statement is not only beyond the pale, but it is made even more reprehensible, not to mention ridiculous, by Obama's campaign turning from the very serious subjects of Afghanistan-Pakistan-al Qaeda to the pop culture filmmaker Woody Allen, equating the two in a statement that is so ignorant you have to wonder if the Obama camp actually understands the possible ramifications of what happened today. I assure you, it does not come close to resembling or reflecting Woody Allen's wisdom on life. Seriously, the celebrity candidacy of Barack Obama, now threatened by a foreign policy emergency, has slipped into the nonsensical."

much more

www.huffingtonpost.com

Corky-

I usually don't find myself in the position of agreeing with the NRO, but anyone with familiarity of the trials and tribulations of Pakistani politics over the past 20 years would laugh at the suggestion that this is somehow linked to the invasion of Iraq.

The only conceivable link would be if Al Queda was actively involved in Iraq before the invasion, and we all know that was not the case. It looks like the Obama Camp is desperate to link this to Hillary, and will look almost as stupid as anyone trying to link this to the Bush Administration and the invasion of Iraq.

Democracy was dealt a major blow in the world today.

Some candidates handled it well, some didn't.

Hillary handled this HILL-ARIOUSLY.....simply attempting to score political points. Shame on Hillary.....but, the Clitons are not capable of their well deserved shame.

No matter what Hillary Clinton said after the assasination she would have been criticized. I watched her comments and she was entirely respectful of Bhutto's death and did not play politics. Of course some of the HillaryHaters here will claim otherwise but considering their mindless hatred most folks don't really give their opinions any consideration.

What Clinton said isn't in question except by Rwing trolls.

It's Axelrod's linking Bhutto's death to Clinton that is disgusting old-style politics at it's finest.

"Per the Washington Post, Obama strategist David Axelrod linked "the Pakistani crisis to the different positions that Clinton and Obama took on the Iraq war in 2002, when Clinton voted to authorize it in the U.S. Senate, and Obama, then an Illinois state senator, spoke out against it.

"Clinton campaign advisers pounced on Obama's and Axelrod's comments. This is a time to be focused on the tragedy of the situation, its implications for the U.S. and the world, and to be concerned for the people of Pakistan and the country's stability. No one should be politicizing this situation with baseless allegations,' Clinton spokesman Jay Carson said."

Obama was on CNN last night and NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan reports that during the interview, Obama was grilled by Wolf Blitzer on whether his chief media strategist, David Axelrod, had placed blame on Hillary Clinton for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. "I don't need to hear what you read because I was -- you know, I overheard it when he said it, and this is one of those situations where Washington is putting a spin on it. It makes no sense whatsoever," he said.

However, this could not have occurred since Axelrod had spoken to a large scrum of reporters in the back of the hall where Obama gave his speech, well after Obama had left the room. Obama went on to say that Axelrod had been asked a politicized question, on how the assassination would affect the Iowa caucuses, which resulted in a politicized answer on exercising good judgment on foreign policy."

firstread.msnbc.msn.com

Obama is becoming rather Romney-esque in his penchant for convenient "misstatements".