Mid-East Shock

I, like many, was shocked and saddened by the assassination of Benazir Bhutto on Thursday. Recognizing that there were concerns about her ties to corrupt forces within Pakistan, I think that she was still a breathe of fresh air politically for the nation. She was very much a Muslim and a partial product of the West. She seemed to recognize ways in which Pakistanian society and the West could work together toward a better Pakistan.

I am sorry that we will never know what she would have brought to the table. I am sorry that we will not have an opportunity to see what a female head of an Islamic state in a post 9-11 world would have been able to accomplish. But we cannot forget that Bhutto was a woman in a rare position in the Islamic world. I hope that other Muslim women will be encouraged by her example to work toward a better and more equitable Middle East.