In the Tuesday edition of The New York Times, Op-Ed Columnist Thomas Freidman addresses the topic of the Mumbai attacks. The interrogation of the lone surviving terrorist has shown that the group is from Pakistan. Although we should be critical of anything this survivor says since it can't easily be checked, I do believe this part of it. If this is in fact true, Freidman hit the nail on the head when he called for the masses of 'ordinary people' of Pakistan to rise up against the Mumbai terrorist and say that they do not condone this representation of Pakistan. Without doing so, not many people are likely to talk to actual Pakistanis and hear the words from their lips that they do not condone the bombers. A stereotype will emerge labeling Pakistan as a supportive nation to the message trying to be sent by the attacks in Mumbai. The ordinary Pakistanis must stand up and support their Islamic brethren in rebuffing any notion that Pakistan or its people supported the Mumbai bombers. What was the message the attacks were trying to send? I think as the interrogation and investigation continues, we might continue to learn parts of their purpose, but we will never learn the whole thing.
While this blog topic certainly doesn't fit into the sphere of US politics or the economy, I think it was an important issue to address and I though Freidman made a very strong argument. The
address for this article is linked to the blog! The next blog will most certainly reflect on my travels through the Swiss Alps and possibly some fresh powder?!?!
Happy Skiing/Studying.
Pray for snow!
ZGSKIER
1 comment:
Asif Ali Zardari, president of Pakistan, wrote a rather powerful editorial in today's New York Times that bears strongly on Pakistan's role in combating terrorism and on the Mumbai disaster. I think it's worth checking out if you're into this sort of thing.
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