Speeches
Pelosi Statement on Bhutto Resolution
01/16/2008
“Thank you, Madam Speaker.
I thank the gentleman for yielding and for giving us this opportunity to
express our sympathy and sadness and recognize the tremendous contribution of
Benazir Bhutto to the cause of democracy.
“It was about 15 years ago that Benazir Bhutto came to this
chamber of Congress, one of the first women ever to address a joint session of
Congress. She was only in her thirties,
I believe, at the time. She inspired us;
she filled us with hope and the confidence which she projected; she gave us the
confidence that democracy could come to
“Her return was courageous.
It was courageous for many reasons.
It’s important to note that her father and two of her brothers had been
assassinated. They were victims of
political violence and of course, their family was dealt another blow as were
the people of Pakistan with the brutal assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
“She possessed a remarkable optimism about the future, a
belief in the power of dialogue, and a strong commitment to democracy. She was an advocate for reconciliation,
between Islamic and non-Islamic societies, and outlined how that goal could be
achieved. She not only had a vision, she
had a plan on how it would be done. The
strength of her message and hope has underscored how much we lost in her tragic
death.
“In the days and weeks that have followed Benazir Bhutto’s
death, there has been little good news from Pakistan. The Musharraf government continues to deny
the Pakistani people a full accounting of the assassination and the events that
followed. There must be a strong
international investigation of this despicable crime. I acknowledge and recognize that the
government has accepted assistance from Scotland Yard and the government of
Great Britain. But the government has
delayed scheduled parliamentary elections while continuing to jail democratic
activists, suppress journalists, and shut out international monitors.
“The Bush Administration must continue to press the
Pakistani government to ensure that the coming election is free and fair. It is important to note, my colleagues and
Madam Speaker, that the 9/11 Commission recommendations, which were passed by
this body and were signed into law last year, conditioned U.S. assistance to
Pakistan by the cooperation on Pakistani government with global efforts against
terrorism. Since 2001,
“Troubling questions have been raised about our assistance
to
“I believe the best way the
“The opportunity Mr. Ackerman, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman
Lantos, and Mr. Pence have given us today, to give an overwhelming vote in
support of this resolution, can tell the world that we have again gone on
record in support of the democratic hopes of the Pakistani people and to pay
tribute to the legacy of Benazir Bhutto.
“I know I speak for all Members when I express my
condolences to the family of Benazir Bhutto, but also to all the others who
have lost their loved ones in this tragic incidence of violence and
assassination in