It's not cricket!
In England, playing cricket is a kind of national rite and the rules are expected to be followed in a gentlemanly manner. So when a team of terrorists attack a cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan, it's simply unimaginable to most people. Why attack a cricket team, the Sri Lankan team, that volunteered to go to Pakistan in place of the India team because they felt it was too ? Not only is Pakistan a Muslim country, and a serious if not fanatical Muslim country, but it probably contains more Islamist fanatics per population than any other country in the world. Most of the terrorist attacks in Britain can be traced directly back to Pakistan.
The attack on the cricket team was very similar in organization and practice to the attacks in Mumbai two months ago, and exhibit all the signs of al Qaeda. Several well-armed groups of 2-3 individuals coordinated their attack from different directions, they carried grenades, supplies and ammunition in their backpacks and they melted back into the crowd as soon as the shooting was over.
There are three reasons why Pakistan is to be feared and why foreigners should not venture there: 1. The Pakistan security apparatus, the ISI, used to support the Taliban and the resurgence of the Taliban can be related to the overthrow of the dictator Gen. Musharraf, who was cooperating with the West, and the election of the weak and incompetent Govt. of Pres. Asif Ali Zardari, husband of assassinated Benazir Bhutto; 2. The Northwest territories are not under the control of the central Government, and recently the Pres. agreed to extend sharia law there in order to placate the extremists, although it is not likely to do this, but only be considered a sign of weakess; 3. Osama bin Ladin is most likely holed up there, beyond the reach of the Pakistan and US armed forces, and the raids in Lahore and Mumbai are characteristic of al Qaeda attacks that were almost certainly planned in the areas of Waziristan or nearby.
A line can be drawn between the attacks on the Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics and the Sri Lankan cricket team at Lahore, a complete and ruthless lack of concern for human life, taking advantage of a "soft" target like sportsmen, and the belief that killing people will accomplish the aims of Islam. The Western world will have to face the problem and bite the bullet. Its seems that Pres. Bush was right and the situation in Iraq has improved sufficiently that there is now no difference between his former policy and Pres. Obama's withdrawal. Actually it appears that the US has defeated al Qaeda and other insurgent groups in Iraq.
The current and real danger lies in the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan that is largely supplied and supported from Pakistan. This is where the US should focus its efforts to destroy the terrorist threat. There is no suggestion, even by Pres Obama, that the US should negotiate with these terrorists, and similarly there is no sense for Israel or any one else to recognize Hamas and deal with them. These people murder defenceless cricketers and anyone else.
The attack on the cricket team was very similar in organization and practice to the attacks in Mumbai two months ago, and exhibit all the signs of al Qaeda. Several well-armed groups of 2-3 individuals coordinated their attack from different directions, they carried grenades, supplies and ammunition in their backpacks and they melted back into the crowd as soon as the shooting was over.
There are three reasons why Pakistan is to be feared and why foreigners should not venture there: 1. The Pakistan security apparatus, the ISI, used to support the Taliban and the resurgence of the Taliban can be related to the overthrow of the dictator Gen. Musharraf, who was cooperating with the West, and the election of the weak and incompetent Govt. of Pres. Asif Ali Zardari, husband of assassinated Benazir Bhutto; 2. The Northwest territories are not under the control of the central Government, and recently the Pres. agreed to extend sharia law there in order to placate the extremists, although it is not likely to do this, but only be considered a sign of weakess; 3. Osama bin Ladin is most likely holed up there, beyond the reach of the Pakistan and US armed forces, and the raids in Lahore and Mumbai are characteristic of al Qaeda attacks that were almost certainly planned in the areas of Waziristan or nearby.
A line can be drawn between the attacks on the Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics and the Sri Lankan cricket team at Lahore, a complete and ruthless lack of concern for human life, taking advantage of a "soft" target like sportsmen, and the belief that killing people will accomplish the aims of Islam. The Western world will have to face the problem and bite the bullet. Its seems that Pres. Bush was right and the situation in Iraq has improved sufficiently that there is now no difference between his former policy and Pres. Obama's withdrawal. Actually it appears that the US has defeated al Qaeda and other insurgent groups in Iraq.
The current and real danger lies in the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan that is largely supplied and supported from Pakistan. This is where the US should focus its efforts to destroy the terrorist threat. There is no suggestion, even by Pres Obama, that the US should negotiate with these terrorists, and similarly there is no sense for Israel or any one else to recognize Hamas and deal with them. These people murder defenceless cricketers and anyone else.
posted by Jack Cohen at 1:17 PM
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