Day Seventy-One

6/11

The Book: Daughter of Destiny by Benazir Bhutto

ISBN: 0-06-167268-2

Suggested By: Sissy Vaughn

Where: Home

When: 5:45-

Music: None

Company: Alone

Pages: 37- 92 (55)

The Lead In: My wife put this book on the list and is thrilled that it was next to be read. I hope that reading about this now-dead, leader of Pakistan will give me some insight into the politics of India, Pakistan and the East.

The 411 on the 55: This story begins with reflections on the youth of the author. She discusses being raised in the family of a prominent politician in Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She traces his rise to power, through conflicts with other political parties, the CIA, and India. She also talks about her journey to the US for school and then on to Oxford in England.

One aspect of today’s reading that struck me was the a brief paragraph on the removal of Nixon as President. Her perspective was slightly awed as she considered the removal of an almost absolute ruler by democratic means. It is an interesting look at how Nixon and his fall are viewed from other (especially third-world) countries. Rather than revolution, Nixon was nailed by law and escorted out the door.

Line of the Day: “If the Soviets are here, tell me the Chinese are calling. If the Americans are here, tell me tat the Russians are on the line or the Indians. And don’t tell anyone who really is here. One of the fundamental lessons of diplomacy is to create doubt: never lay all your cards on the table.” pg 57

The Fact on the Fiction: During the Indian invasion of Eastern Pakistan, Bhutto (the elder) went to the UN Security Council and called the out. Here is the speech via Youtube. Take a look. He is very eloquent and convincing.