Musharraf takes on Bhutto...

While Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf does concede that a gunman may have shot Benazir Bhutto, he goes on to "blame the victim" for her own death stating that she knowingly exposed herself to the danger. "For standing outside the car, I think it was she to blame alone. Nobody else. The responsibility is hers," Musharraf stated in an interview conducted by "60 Minutes." 

Regardless of what killed her (gunshot, explosion or mysteriously clever sunroof), this is terribly poor logic on the part of Musharraf. Yes, she had to have known that by re-introducing herself into the political realm on a soapbox of anti-terror that she would become a prime target for extremists. However, how can you blame her for stepping up and say that it is her demise is ultimately her fault? Is it the fault of a young woman who wanders down the "wrong street" and gets mugged?  Is it the fault of the person who leaves his car out in a "questionable neighborhood and is then robbed? Or how about the good Samaritan who gives to a "good cause" and is subsequently conned and taken advantage of? Some would utter that "they should've known better." I say don't blame those who are taken advantage of when they give society the benefit of the doubt and maintain a certain level of trust in those around them. This idea that we should not engage in certain actions because of the wrongs others may commit needs to go...instead, we should be focusing on the criminals of this world and stopping them from hindering the rest of us.

So too here with Bhutto. She knew the risk, but still believed that she needed to take the stand for those who wanted a stronger policy on terror. Don't blame her, remember the cause she believed in and ultimately gave her life for. Fighting terrorism is much like obtaining a strangle hold a foe in battle...they only become more violent as desperation and fear of the end sets in. The only way to finish the job is to stay strong, focus on the task at hand, tighten your grip a bit and wait for that final gasp before they ultimately submit.

We cannot waiver in this fight. Bhutto's sacrifice should only support and strengthen the need for this cause.