The Pakistan government has also said they will exhume the body for autopsy if requested by Bhutto’s party, and that they skipped autopsy at the request of Bhutto’s husband. But all of the examining physicians agreed that it was major blunt-force head trauma with exposed brain tissue, that no bullet wounds were noted, and that X-rays showed no metal in her skull. If the head injury were a bullet wound, one would expect either an exit wound or bullet fragments on the X-ray. Even with an exit wound, one would expect some fragmentary show of lead in the skull.

You don’t get that big an impact from just yanking somoeone into a vehicle. But the whack of a bomb blast could sure do it.

Yes, such an injury as described could cause instant death–it would be more unusual if it did not, given direct brain injury as opposed to simple hematoma causing intra-cranial pressure. Yes, they could be lying. No, the story is not implausible. Yes, a full autopsy could clear it up.

Or if, say, a BOMB went off next to her as the car accelerated and as she was being yanked down into a metal edge. Massive head trauma does not take long to kill, and can easily be instantaneous. Smacking your skull into a hard edge hard enough to leave brain tissue crushed and exposed would do it.

A typical skull fracture doesn’t kill any more than a broken arm does–it’s the underlying brain injury (contra-coup hematoma) that kills. Don’t even need a fracture for that, just a shock to the head. But a depressed fracture that actually drives bone into the dura matter is a different story.

Injury Analysis

An autopsy conducted the next day by the Daytona Beach medical examiner indicated Earnhardt had sustained eight fractured ribs, a fractured sternum and a basilar skull fracture.

Abrasions over his left hip and left lower abdomen were believed to have been caused by his seatbelt. An abrasion on the bottom of his chin indicated where it struck the steering wheel, creating a significant dent in it. The EMS report indicated the steering wheel was bent as expected in a high-speed collision and would account for his fractured sternum.

The Pakistanis IM explanation would be plausible if BB SUV was traveling 90MPH and stuck a wall. But LE blunt trauma isn’t usaully instantly fatal.

And skull fracture/brain trauma is not an unlikely cause of death and is, in fact, what kills some of our own soldiers in IED attacks, though not too often because they usually have helmets on. It’s the same reason getting thrown in a car crash is often fatal – the skull or even skin does not have to be broken to kill.

[yawn] BDS comments are worse than any clever humor

And yet you make them on a daily basis.

And DLS, simply attributing contrary opinions to BDS is intellectually weak and pathetic. If you want to do that, just go over to “Blogs for Victory.” They excel in that crap and would gladly welcome a new Republican Line-tower.

Bush apologist syndrome = BAS

Confusion between the two = DLS

Essentially the same thing I said the other day. This is indeed a tragedy. In an age where there is a dearth of courageous role models, Bhutto stood out.

DLS – Adolescent comments add nothing useful to the discussion.

Bad snark to add to the debate.

What’s bad is to blame Bush in any way for this killing or worse, to invent all kinds of lies and other false accusations and direct them at those of us that correct such misbehavior.

The Pakistanis now claim a skull fracture actually killed BB.

I’ve read that, too, and don’t believe it any more than you do.

The Pakistanis now claim a skull fracture actually killed BB. But I thought a skull fracture is a slower death than bullet trauma. They actually claim she banged her head on the back of the sun roof. This is as absurd as claiming Kennedy died from whiplash.

Didn’t you know? Didn’t Shaun tell you yet? heh