I have been following the situation in Pakistan with keen interest. The Pakistani government is in a siege of the “Red Mosque”. This militant Islamic school was trying to bring the rule of Shariah Law to Pakistan in other words, make it into a theocracy. The school’s students have been rampaging around town smashing CDs and music tapes and anything “sinful”.
The government of Pervez Musharraf stepped in to stop the rampaging students. One of the students shot a soldier dead and the rest barricaded themselves in their school hence the siege.
This on-going saga reveals a lot more than just a siege and I think an answer to Islamic militancy. In Pakistan there are many “madrasas” or religious schools like the Red Mosque (Lal Masjid) mentioned above. All teach a virulently anti-Western theology to their young impressionable students. This is where the Taliban finds its recruits. Terrorist organizations pour money into these schools to train more and more suicide bombers, etc.
Here, I think, is part of the answer for winning the war against Islamic terrorism; eliminate the schools.
Pakistan is a testing ground. Most Pakistanis support the government’s crackdown on these schools and their students but a large part of the Pakistan population is backwards and religious fundamentalists; they are easily swayed by their religious leaders.
The terror groups supporting the schools are rich and powerful. These groups are also trying to assassinate Musharraf and may yet succeed.
The U.S. nominally supports Musharraf but that is a mixed blessing for him as far as his own countrymen are concerned.
The Bush Administration is too stupid to come up with a plan to help Musharraf destroy these schools for terrorists. My only hope is that the next president has a brain that functions normally.
The government of Pervez Musharraf stepped in to stop the rampaging students. One of the students shot a soldier dead and the rest barricaded themselves in their school hence the siege.
This on-going saga reveals a lot more than just a siege and I think an answer to Islamic militancy. In Pakistan there are many “madrasas” or religious schools like the Red Mosque (Lal Masjid) mentioned above. All teach a virulently anti-Western theology to their young impressionable students. This is where the Taliban finds its recruits. Terrorist organizations pour money into these schools to train more and more suicide bombers, etc.
Here, I think, is part of the answer for winning the war against Islamic terrorism; eliminate the schools.
Pakistan is a testing ground. Most Pakistanis support the government’s crackdown on these schools and their students but a large part of the Pakistan population is backwards and religious fundamentalists; they are easily swayed by their religious leaders.
The terror groups supporting the schools are rich and powerful. These groups are also trying to assassinate Musharraf and may yet succeed.
The U.S. nominally supports Musharraf but that is a mixed blessing for him as far as his own countrymen are concerned.
The Bush Administration is too stupid to come up with a plan to help Musharraf destroy these schools for terrorists. My only hope is that the next president has a brain that functions normally.
Brilliant post. All I've read recently is how Musharraf and Pakistan haven't done enough to support the war on terror. Finally a post where someone realises how much he's done and the trouble that he faces from within his own country.
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