The Lahore Attack
By Rummuser. Filed in Uncategorized |
“Increasingly, Zardari resembles a man with a begging bowl in one hand, and a gun in the other pointed at his own head. The reality is that for decades, we have sacrificed the bulk of our resources to support a vast defence apparatus we could ill afford. The extremist menace that threatens to destroy us was largely a creation of our own military establishment. And now that we need the army to defend us, we find it is not up to the task.”
The above paragraph is from an article in the Dawn, a respected newspaper published from Karachi in Pakistan. The writer, Irfan Husain is a man of courage and integrity and whose honest reporting may well land him into trouble with a number of elements within Pakistan.
Sri Lanka’s cricketers agreed to replace the Indian cricket team. The latter’s tour of Pakistan, arranged prior to the Mumbai carnage as one of the confidence building measures between India and Pakistan, was canceled for very obvious reasons. The Pakistani cricket establishment invited Sri Lanka instead and the great sporting nation that they are, they agreed to the tour albeit after some initial hiccups.
Pakistan however is a destination that many other cricketing countries have decided not to visit for the very present danger there. The hapless Sri Lankans have just found out what it costs to play in Pakistan. Details of exactly what happened have not been made available, but it has been established that the bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked by gunmen and seven players and a coach have been wounded.
Quite what it means to the South Asian countries is best left unsaid by me. Sri Lankans have enough to handle on their own turf with a decisive stage having been reached by their armed forces against the dreaded LTTE. What it means to Pakistan is best stated by this article.
If Pakistan’s establishment plays true to their flip flop, first they will blame India for this mishap, after that, they will blame the LTTE, and eventually, they will accept that it was homegrown terrorists who were responsible and that they will be brought to book. After that, nothing more will be heard of the incident till the next attack takes place.
Quite how the Obama administration will make use of their ally and front line partner in the USA’s fight against terror is becoming murkier by the day. May be now, the Zardari government will hand over Lahore also to the Taliban to implement Sharia law as their own machinery does not seem to be functional.
Madeline Albright suggested that Pakistan is now the International Migraine. Perhaps now she will call it the International joke.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 at 23:51 |
This latest terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team clearly demonstrates that the terrorists want to kill everybody who disagrees with them. It finally dispels the myth that they only want to wage war on America, Israel and India (the flimsy excuse here is that they want to “liberate” Kashmir). Sri Lanka had cordial relations with Pakistan until the attack took place. Sri Lanka has not committed any “imagined offence” that can be used as an excuse to attack them.
Lahore’s commissioner has already said that India may be responsible for the attack, so that part of your prophecy has already come true, Mr. R!
The levels of denial from senior members of the Pakistani establishment are truly astonishing. The terrorists struck in a prosperous part of the city, in broad daylight. They were walking down the street with automatic rifles, machine-guns, grenade and rocket launchers and car bombs. The degree of the security lapse here is amazing.
Asif Ali Zardari is a complete failure. I do not know if Nawaz Sharif will be a better option, but it is unlikely that he will be worse than Zardari. The last (and possibly best) option is to bring back Musharraf immediately. Relations between India and Pakistan were at least stable, when Musharraf was in charge. If the status quo is maintained, the Taliban will soon be officially ruling from Islamabad and Lahore, and their next target will be us – just across the border.
Sandeep Gupta´s last blog post..India: A Pensioners’ Paradise?
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:49
I suggest that you read this Sandeep.
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13240421
Wednesday, March 4th 2009 at 08:00 |
Madeline Albright needs to prescribe a LOBOTOMY for Pakistan to relieve the world of its International migraine.
What you sow you reap–for Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Love
PN
Padmini Natarajan´s last blog post..Crack in the Epicentre of Financial terrorism
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:47
Thaththaasthu
Wednesday, March 4th 2009 at 08:02 |
And they are still talking about the next World Cup being played partly in Pakistan!!
Padmini Natarajan´s last blog post..On a Clear Day You can see Forever…
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:47
Not any more, they are not. Nor for that matter we!
Wednesday, March 4th 2009 at 09:11 |
“While some politicians and retired generals, along with ordinary Pakistanis, hinted at an Indian hand in the Lahore attacks, government leaders and security chiefs did not.” I just read this statement in this article. On the other hand a BBC article says,
“But a Pakistani minister, Sardar Nabil Ahmed Gabol, reportedly told private Geo TV that evidence suggested the attackers came across the border from India.
He said the assault came in reaction to the Mumbai attacks, and was a ‘declaration of open war on Pakistan by India’”. Wonder what his agenda is.
About the World Cup, ICC is considering whether to take Pakistan off the lists of co-hosts. I’d be amazed if they don’t.
Jean Browman–Cheerful Monk´s last blog post..Are You Conducting Yourself Well?
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:46
This should give you a reasonably good picture Jean.
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13240421
Wednesday, March 4th 2009 at 12:58 |
It’s strange to see this played out from over here, in America. It seems a bit like people describe a collision they survive, “It all seemed to happen in slow motion.” This just seems like a huge, slow-motion collision, where everyone sees the ultimate outcome coming.
Conrad´s last blog post..How to Write a Conversational Blog… And Why!
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:45
That is a nice picture that you paint there Conrad. Very apt.
Wednesday, March 4th 2009 at 15:39 |
I am shocked that an international cricket team was so readily the target of a terrorist attack. For me, the reasons for choosing this target are not entirely clear. Would they have done the same to other international teams? If the answer is yes the motivation is not Sri Lankan politics, but a broader evil.
After the London bombings in the UK, Muslims in the UK have been the target of much hate. I try to remember that of all the millions of Muslims in the world only a very small percentage share extremist views, and we must be cautious at pointing the finger of blame. It seems in Asia that finger is immediately pointed at the Pakistan government, a perspective influenced the proximity to the country.
From a cricket fan’s perspective I am also deeply saddened. For the Sri Lankan team (and the police who lost their lives) but also the Pakistani team. I enjoy watching talented players such as Afridi and Younis and they will find it difficult to play cricket on the international stage now. As professional sportsmen it seems politics and religion(to put it crudely) in their own country have damaged their careers.
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:44
Welcome to the real world young fellow. What do you think really motivated those goons? How were they able to simply get on their motorcycles and disappear or just shed their weapons and back packs and merge into the crowds?
Wednesday, March 4th 2009 at 15:48 |
Ramana, I would suggest a little time on this one to allow the dust to clear. I say this for two reasons.
First, we need to know the facts. These will take time to emerge. Secondly, once those facts have been established, then time will be needed to craft a response.
Jim Belshaw´s last blog post..The Lahore outrage – It’s just not cricket
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:42
In total agreement. I have said more or less the same thing in your post too.
Thursday, March 5th 2009 at 02:44 |
The Sri Lankan team’s story is a very sad one. This leaves too many questions unanswered, which I hope answers will be found as the details unfold. Only cowards would choose to direct their anger at soft targets like a bus full of players. Though we do not know the reason I believe no reason can justify that act.
Lizwi´s last blog post..Who should take the blame for the Global Economic Crisis?
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:39
The latest information coming out of Pakistan would indicate that the purpose of the attack was to discredit the Zardari government. The fight between Zardari and Sharif is well known, and what is happening there is a combination of this political strife as well as the reluctance of the army to take charge, at least for now. Pakistan is too complex to understand by us ordinary mortals.
Thursday, March 5th 2009 at 04:34 |
Lizwi,
I don’t find it hard to understand. My guess is the purpose is to destabilize the Pakistani government so the terrorists can take over. It’s often a highly effective strategy. Do I approve? Of course not, but why would they care what people like us think?
Jean Browman–Cheerful Monk´s last blog post..Are You Conducting Yourself Well?
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:40
Please see my response to Lizwi.
Thursday, March 5th 2009 at 21:56 |
rummuser, labels nly distract human beings form the truth that hides beneath them.
A Taoist views crisis as opportunity to explore and improve life experience. A Taoist often acts very simply or not at all. To overreact removes the power of the situation to help those involved to actually learn and make it past the transitional stages of the crisis.
Consider also Zen thinking. This uses paradox to teach. The riddle is often illogical or contradictory. Zen koans (riddles) work by creating a crisis of logic which literally breaks the mind out of one pattern and reorients it into a new direction.
Liara Covert´s last blog post..12 Things obstacles tell you
Rummuser Reply:
March 6th, 2009 at 22:36
I follow the thought that there is no doer at all!
Friday, March 6th 2009 at 10:51 |
Liara,
A little off of Ramana’s topic – that’s a very nice, succinct explanation of Zen.
Conrad´s last blog post..Upgrades At The Whine Bar!
Friday, March 6th 2009 at 22:59 |
Thanks for your views, Conrad!
rummuser, every perspective has a place. No right or wrong answers exist.
Liara Covert´s last blog post..Trigger divine revelations
Saturday, March 7th 2009 at 10:16 |
Pakistan is in trouble and I think that can fairly be established. The funny thing is Sri Lanka has never done anything to be in the bad books of either the taliban or other known terrorist groups. This attack was simply a reminder of the delicate security structure of Pakistan and the aim was to keep the world away from Pakistan. Isolation may very well be the aim of the terrorists, so the question is how well can we continue to interact with Pakistan and still remain safe?
This may seem really strange, but its a little too premature to reach upon any conclusion. U.S.A. and the world will have to, for the time being, continue aiding and pressurising Pakistan to clamp down on the terrorists. Neither U.S.A. nor the NATO can afford any sort of intervention right now until Afghanistan is resolved. But what the Pakistan leadership has to make peace with is if they don’t act soon, it will either be the international community at the doorsteps or the taliban.
Ashok´s last blog post..The Story of the Janitor
Saturday, March 7th 2009 at 10:30 |
@Ashok: It is time that something honest has to be done. The US and Pakistan have to understand that their policies so far to contain the situation in Afghanistan has failed and that a new paradigm has to be evolved. There are more than just these two countries involved. India, Afghanistan and Iran will have to be brought into a group along with the US and Pakistan to evolve a strategy to tackle this problem. Pakistan will never agree to it, as its influential middle aged educated population have been brought up by the poison that Zia Ul Haque’s regime taught them from childhood that Pakistan is God’s gift to mankind and India is to be destroyed by all means fair or foul. Till this mindset changes and Pakistan realizes that it is sitting on a time bomb which is likely to go off any day now, I am afraid nothing else can save it.