Time Magaine asks “Is Pakistan a Friend or Foe?”:http://www.sulekha.com/redirectnh.asp?cid=317634. Hello, which planet have you been for the past one decade ? Here is an interesting piece from that article
bq. Musharraf assured Bush that there were no militant training camps in Pakistani territory. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage reminded Musharraf of that guarantee when the two met in the northern city of Rawalpindi before Musharraf’s last meeting with Bush in June. Armitage then produced a dossier of satellite photos showing camps of that nature. “Musharraf acted outraged and upset,” a State Department official tells TIME, but it wasn’t clear to the Americans whether he was angry that the camps were functioning or that the U.S. had uncovered them.
But then whatever happens in Kashmir never really worried Americans. The issue that concerns them is the nuclear proliferation that the Pakistanis are doing.
bq. American intelligence officials believe Pakistani scientists have shared�with North Korea and Iran�the technology they developed on their way to becoming a nuclear power. That is a possibility Washington cannot ignore when North Korea is explicitly threatening to sell nuclear weapons to terrorists unless the U.S. gives in to Pyongyang’s demands for security guarantees, diplomatic ties and economic aid
And finally here is one Presidential Candidate, who has said what others have failed to say explicitly. “Gen. Wesley Clark”:http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=3477256 said “Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and to a lesser extent, Egypt, those are the central fronts in the war on terror,”
Friend or Foe
Published
In my opinion action says more than words. It is no coincidence that the United States is fighting a war in both Afghanistan and Iraq, countries that border Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, respectively.
The only reason the United States has not taken on Saudi Arabia sooner was, of course, oil. Only a fool would ignore the oil situation. Oil is an economic necessity for not only the United States, but for Asia and Europe, as well. An alternative source needed to be found. Now that Iraq has fallen, Saudi Arabia does not need to be treated with kid gloves. As we can see, soon as Iraq fell, the Saudis started to crack down. Is it a coincidence? I don’t think so.
As for Egypt, I agree more needs to be done in this area beside supporting Israel. The $2 billion a year bribe the Us sends to Hosni Mubarak to act nice should be re-evaluated.
regarding minorities in Pakistan, if we go to the root of the problem it is because of the low status given to the women, who live there without the right to expression, education and health. when these rights are denied then all other are denied automatically like choice of partners, occupation and career, domicile etc. so unless each and every woman is well-educated and can stand-up for her rights, all this is going to continue. another reason to some extent of this fanaticism is the WIDESPREAD CONSUMPTION OF MEAT and MEAT PRODUCTS. this makes an individual lose the shock value of death and suffering!