I am flabbergasted at the outpouring of aid via the US military to the people who helped Bin Ladin and his terrorist pals to escape. Tell them it is the will of Allah.
The average homeless family in the Pakistani disaster zone had no more connection with Bin Laden's escape than families in New Orleans with Bush's illegal invasion of Iraq. In any case, Bin Laden's allegedly hiding in the mountains; they're on the plains and hills, an entirely different part of the country so far as I'm aware.
What prompted the posting was a CNN interview with Pakistan's ambassador to the US, who said repeatedly that the area hit by the flooding was the main Taliban stronghold in the country.
First off, the Taliban and Al Queda are completely different entities, even if the former did harbour the latter during their rule of Afghanistan.
Pakistan's ambassador to the US, who said repeatedly that the area hit by the flooding was the main Taliban stronghold in the country
Part of it may be, but an estimated 20,000,000 people have been left homeless by these floods. That's a lot of innocent people at risk from exposure, dehydration and disease, especially cholera.
If the Taliban and Al Queda are completely different entities, why is Obama pouring thousands of US troops into Afghanistan to protect us against their terrorist threat? The Taliban is to Al Queda as the religious right is to the republican party. Or to be less facetious, we didn't lose the Vietnam war because Ho Chi Minh had superior firepower.
Yes, that's a lot of people hit by a natural disaster which has nothing to do with the United States. Once again the Islamic nations are showing their usual lack of generosity towards their neighbors.
The Taliban doesn't present a current "terrorist threat" to the US, other than via the training camps it used to run in Afghanistan. US (and UK) troops are there in an attempt, most likely doomed, to erect a democratic government supported by those tribal warlords who've accepted the bribes offered by Bush and now Obama. As for the Taliban acting as a religious context for Al Queda, the latter uses religion as a beard; its real ideological backers live in Saudi Arabia (an alleged ally of the US last time I checked).
Yes, that's a lot of people hit by a natural disaster which has nothing to do with the United States.
Other than being fellow humans on the same planet. Maybe you and I place different emphasis on geographical borders.
Once again the Islamic nations are showing their usual lack of generosity towards their neighbors.
If you mean the Arab nations, that's quite possibly true (I haven't the time right now to check what specific contribution they've made via the UN effort), but historically, they see themselves as separate from other nations with a largely muslim population. After all, you wouldn't expect Italy to launch a massive rescue mission after an earthquake in, say, Argentina, purely because both are predominantly catholic nations.
The difference between you and me in this Steve, is I do not believe the United States should be the savior of the world. I believe in helping our friends and neighbors, and expect the rest of the world to do the same. Look at a map, see which countries are Pakistan's neighbors.
Pakistan (and what is now Bangladesh) was established as the Islamic state spun off from India, and I expect its Islamic neighbors to help it in its time of need.
Meanwhile we still have Katrina victims, BP oil victims, and millions of unemployed right here at home who could use some help.
An understandable attitude in many respects, though the UK is also donating heavily to the aid programme even though we have widespread unemployment and an economy with a big enough hole in it to swallow the North Sea. Meanwhile, we're fighting at least one war which should have landed our ex-premier behind bars.
Pakistan's direct neighbours, incidentally, are India (which is more likely to launch a nuclear missile at Islamabad than an aid parcel), China (India's global supporter, just as the US has always counted on Pakistan as a regional puppet), Afghanistan (broke and engulfed in civil war) and Iran (which will probably ignore Pakistan's plight because of its US links, but may rethink on the grounds that Islamabad was no friend of Bagdad, and the enemy of my enemy, etc).
Now you're being obtuse. LOOK at the Map (click here) Pakistan's neighbors include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. All of which have the resources and proximity to send aid to Pakistan, which they have not.
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Date: 2010-08-18 10:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-18 03:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-18 03:58 pm (UTC)Pakistan's ambassador to the US, who said repeatedly that the area hit by the flooding was the main Taliban stronghold in the country
Part of it may be, but an estimated 20,000,000 people have been left homeless by these floods. That's a lot of innocent people at risk from exposure, dehydration and disease, especially cholera.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-18 06:00 pm (UTC)Yes, that's a lot of people hit by a natural disaster which has nothing to do with the United States. Once again the Islamic nations are showing their usual lack of generosity towards their neighbors.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-19 12:15 pm (UTC)Yes, that's a lot of people hit by a natural disaster which has nothing to do with the United States.
Other than being fellow humans on the same planet. Maybe you and I place different emphasis on geographical borders.
Once again the Islamic nations are showing their usual lack of generosity towards their neighbors.
If you mean the Arab nations, that's quite possibly true (I haven't the time right now to check what specific contribution they've made via the UN effort), but historically, they see themselves as separate from other nations with a largely muslim population. After all, you wouldn't expect Italy to launch a massive rescue mission after an earthquake in, say, Argentina, purely because both are predominantly catholic nations.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-19 03:15 pm (UTC)Pakistan (and what is now Bangladesh) was established as the Islamic state spun off from India, and I expect its Islamic neighbors to help it in its time of need.
Meanwhile we still have Katrina victims, BP oil victims, and millions of unemployed right here at home who could use some help.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-19 03:38 pm (UTC)Pakistan's direct neighbours, incidentally, are India (which is more likely to launch a nuclear missile at Islamabad than an aid parcel), China (India's global supporter, just as the US has always counted on Pakistan as a regional puppet), Afghanistan (broke and engulfed in civil war) and Iran (which will probably ignore Pakistan's plight because of its US links, but may rethink on the grounds that Islamabad was no friend of Bagdad, and the enemy of my enemy, etc).
no subject
Date: 2010-08-19 05:53 pm (UTC)LOOK at the Map (click here)
Pakistan's neighbors include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. All of which have the resources and proximity to send aid to Pakistan, which they have not.