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Joanne Herrings introduction of President Zia

posted 9 years ago by jjpeters9717
2 replies | jump to latest

I’m not sure I get the joke when Joanne Herring introduces President Zia.

Herring begins her introduction by saying that “Zia didn’t kill Bhutto.” We see that Zia is obviously uncomfortable at the mention of this. Why?

President Zia led a military coup which ousted Prime Minister Zulfikar Bhutto about a year after Bhutto appointed Zia Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army. Bhutto was arrested during the coup in 1977. Zia became President of Pakistan the following year. Bhutto was eventually hanged in 1979.

What I don’t get is why Bhutto’s name or the fact that Zia didn’t kill him (technically true) would make Zia so uncomfortable. I get he was there to discuss U.S. humanitarian aid to Pakistan not the particulars of how he came into office, but the people in the room were there to—potentially—give money to Pakistan. They needed to be reassured that Zia wasn’t some dictator thug who was going use their money to build nuclear weapons to be fired at India.

Joanne Herring was just trying, albeit without much tact, to assuage the rich people’s fears about President Zia and about Pakistan in general. Where’s the harm in that?

[–] tricksoftrade01 9 years ago

I thought it was the funniest scene in the movie.

It highlights the lack of geo-political understanding of Ms. Herring.

While obviously intelligent, she cements this lack of comprehension to the viewer by saying to Wilson 'Zia did not kill him, He {Bhutto}was convicted in a court of law and sentenced by a judge', thinking that due process is the same all over the world.

Wilson should have been given the line...'Was Captain Kangaroo the judge?'

There are no checks and balances of power in Pakistan. The power lies with the military in that country pure and simple.

It made Zia uncomfortable because he wants to be scene as a legit ruler not some usurper.

I am willing to bet that most people in the room had no idea of how Zia came to power (remember no internet or Google back then). It takes tactless to a whole new level. A very funny line.

[–] PopperTheKungFu-Dragon 9 years ago

Thanks for the explanation. I got the tactless part, but wasn't sure about the exact events.

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