Analysts believe that the assassination of Benazir Bhutto has set the United States back to square one in their efforts to find a stable, democratic partner in Pakistan to combat Islamic extremism. The potential consequences of her death include widespread street riots by her supporters and the fear of Pakistan becoming a nuclear-armed, unstable Islamic state. Financial investors, who are already aware of Pakistan's political risks, stated that while Bhutto's assassination was not unexpected, ongoing instability would increase the risk. Stephen Cohen from the Brookings Institution described Bhutto's death as a setback for the idea of a moderate Pakistan and expressed concern for the future of the country and its impact on neighboring regions, Europe, and the United States. Cohen stated that the United States had focused solely on supporting President Musharraf and had ignored Benazir's requests for communication until recently. The U.S. had invested significant resources in facilitating Benazir's return to Pakistan and negotiating a power-sharing agreement with Musharraf. However, according to South Asia expert Frederic Grare, the situation now presents multiple challenges, including a lack of progress towards democracy and increased risk of attacks by extremist groups, as evidenced by the assassination of mainstream party leaders. He stated that this weakens the political parties and does not bode well for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. President George W. Bush urged Pakistanis to honor Bhutto by continuing with the democratic process she fought for. U.S. officials hope that Pakistan will proceed with the planned elections on Jan. 8. Security analyst Anthony Cordesman believes Bhutto's death has exacerbated an already unstable political situation, as there is no other leader who can create stability, hold legitimate elections, restore the rule of law, and mend the divide between Musharraf and the Pakistani people. Analysts cautioned that in a country where conspiracy theories and intense politics are common, there would likely be blame and unrest following the assassination, potentially leading to violence. Lisa Curtis from the Heritage Foundation emphasized the importance of maintaining peace in Pakistan and advised against declaring emergency rule to achieve this. Some analysts also raised concerns about Musharraf's ability to effectively combat terrorism, questioning his ability to handle issues in remote tribal areas if he could not protect a prominent politician in a relatively secure city like Rawalpindi. Win Thin, senior currency strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co, inquired about the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal during crises. US officials reiterated last month's assessment that the weapons were secure despite the turmoil caused by Musharraf's emergency rule. Cordesman of CSIS mentioned that Islamabad had sought US assistance and studied other countries' policies to increase safety in its nuclear facilities. However, he raised concerns about the lack of transparency that would prevent anyone from making definitive statements about the security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons.