Charlie Wilson’s War on Bhutto
If you happened to see Charlie Wilson's War yesterday, you no doubt noticed an odd historical parallel: Julia Roberts's right-wing Texas socialite earnestly defending a sitting Pakistani president who doubles as a general and took power in a coup—and is accused of killing a Bhutto: [President] Zia did not kill Bhutto. She's referring, of course, ...
If you happened to see Charlie Wilson's War yesterday, you no doubt noticed an odd historical parallel: Julia Roberts's right-wing Texas socialite earnestly defending a sitting Pakistani president who doubles as a general and took power in a coup—and is accused of killing a Bhutto:
If you happened to see Charlie Wilson's War yesterday, you no doubt noticed an odd historical parallel: Julia Roberts's right-wing Texas socialite earnestly defending a sitting Pakistani president who doubles as a general and took power in a coup—and is accused of killing a Bhutto:
[President] Zia did not kill Bhutto.
She's referring, of course, to Benazir's father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was hanged by after being overthrown in a military coup. It's in the book too, but seeing it onscreen yesterday made everyone in the theater sit up a little straighter.
More from Foreign Policy

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense
If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War
Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.