WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement regarding the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto:

"Benazir Bhutto was a courageous woman and an inspiration to many. She took great personal risk to try and bring about democratic change in Pakistan. Her death has cast great uncertainty over the future of Pakistan.

"Ms. Bhuttos' assassination is a terrible reminder that Pakistan remains arguably the most dangerous arena where international terror cells are currently operating. This is a nuclear-armed nation on the brink. President Bush should do everything he can to promote stability in Pakistan and prevent the situation from further unraveling. There also needs to be a renewed effort to crack down on the radical militants who are fueling the violence in the region and deny safe haven to terrorists based in Pakistan."