Another Ugly Day in Pakistani Politics

Here's Bush's spin on the assassination of Benazir Bhutto:

"The United States strongly condemns this cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan's democracy," said Bush, who looked tense and took no questions.

There are a few narratives that are being reinforced by the media today, all of which are, at best, badly oversimplified. They are:

• Benazir Bhutto was a brave democracy activist, a symbol of women of color breaking down the doors and storming the corridors of power. She was a much-beloved figure who gave up a cushy life in exile to return to Pakistan to bring stability and democracy to a troubled land.
• Musharraf is a "moderate Islamic leader" whose reckless abuses of power are tolerated by the international community because he stands as a bulwark against Al Qaeda radicals.
• It's simply a given that the assassination was directly related to the struggle against "Islamofascism" -- or whatever silly label one prefers.