Added: Friday, 19 June 2009, 10:19 PM Mecca time, 07:19 PM GMT
Though I appreciate the sentiment that leaving a place alone should lead to stability, that is no longer truly possible. We live in a global village. what we really need to do is determine what our bests interests really are, and then work towards that goal. The problem is that sometimes Group A's best interests conflict with Group B's best interests. The only way to resolve these issues is by altering the 'best interests'. This is exactly what is goin on now. The West wants freedom and liberty for all. Some muslims, what Islam for all. Both sides believe that their best interests are more important.
Reasonable, Ottawa, Canada
Added: Friday, 19 June 2009, 09:45 PM Mecca time, 06:45 PM GMT
Muslim countries have to take a serious stance against terrorism.it's hurting more muslims than any other religion. when will muslims start protecting other Muslims?what a shame that human lives have lost their value .
alibaba, LA, United States
Added: Thursday, 18 June 2009, 03:44 PM Mecca time, 12:44 PM GMT
“the Taliban are terrible people” - J., LA, US
The US is now equating all the Pashtun tribe including those in Pakistan as Taliban. The Taliban are co-equated with Al-Qaeda, an undefined group, allegedly carried out 9/11 and is scheming to detonate WMD against the US. I heard better fairy tales.
Nearly 41 m Pashtuns live on both sides of the border around 13 m in Afghanistan and 28 m in Pakistan. They are united through culture, dialects, and traditions. Hospitable and gracious, they go out of their way to respect and protect guests and strangers. Invaders, however, are killed without mercy. Nang (honor) is the founding principle of the Pashtun Code which says, “Death is better than life when life cannot be lived with honor.” Badal (revenge) is the integral part of honor.
The Americans do not know this or of the bombings of villages, extra-judicial killings, torture, and secret prisons that have failed to subdue the Pashtuns' resistance to the occupation.
Gim, Aden, Yemen
Added: Thursday, 18 June 2009, 01:32 PM Mecca time, 10:32 AM GMT
Its time to saddle up boys. The Pakistani army is going to "get" some . The Taliban are now caught between a rock and a hard place. And if Russia and China join in its gonna be a sorry day for the Talibans etc. Its about time.
Hunucru, United States
Added: Thursday, 18 June 2009, 02:44 AM Mecca time, 11:44 PM GMT
Hi Gim, ta for the thought. AJ printed the complaint but not the posts. I broke no rules + was as pertinent as any/many here. To be libellous or defamatory the posts would have to be prevarication - they were not, just another interpretation reached after many years of soul-searching + thinking. (It's not an easy change to make.) What's left? They found the points of view expressed unacceptable for reader consumption.
It's no good giving examples because then they won't post this. Let's just say the atheist may not be specific on points of religion. [The atheist does not exist in a religious vacuum. :)]
Religion is ideology. To kill for it makes a mockery of the very idea, no diffs whether the killer is Bush or Bin Laden, whether he, you or I think the reason valid or fallacious.
What pees me off most is that it takes a lot of effort to condense thoughts to remain under the 1000 limit + yet still keep the content + intent. In return they bin. Harsh.
Bystander, ., South Africa
Added: Thursday, 18 June 2009, 01:28 AM Mecca time, 10:28 PM GMT
Pakistan is a country which has a soft corner for terrorism. So, it cannot easily abdicate many of its foster children, the terrorists. The common people from both countries well understand this. And most of the leaders in Pakistan have always been nurturing a hate India policy to stay in power. That is why Pak government cannot allocate much time for its internal affairs. As long as India Pak relations should not be kept out of religious spectrum, Pakistan will suffer a lot and is not able to reach any solutions for the burning issues like this. Also, Pakistan more often misses the chances to mend the fences with its neighbors so that India can stop the cross border terrorism. Since religion is misused by vested interest in Pakistan, the government cannot get out of the tentacles immediately. All peace loving people unequivocally urge terrorism is the greatest menace of our time. And there is no good terrorism and bad terrorism.
Prem Nizar Hameed, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Added: Tuesday, 16 June 2009, 09:10 PM Mecca time, 06:10 PM GMT
To those who justify Taliban actions in Pakistan as "fighting the good fight" against the Americans, let me present some hard facts in opposition to your rhetoric.
Since 2001, the Taliban has managed to kill only 706 US Soldiers. In 2007 232 coalition soldiers died. In the same year, 186 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in the United States alone. I guess the brave Taliban "warriors" can only beat out petty thieves and gangs by 46 people.
In contrast the Taliban have killed as many as 3,949 civilians in Afghanistan since 2006. I could not find data on 2001 through 2005 but you get the point.
It seems the Taliban prefer to butcher innocent civilians instead of fighting Coalition soldiers. Afghanistan has become too dangerous a playing field for them so they are testing their metal in Pakistan. It will be up to the Pakistanis to decide if this decision was prudent, or suicidal.
US Soldier, Fayetteville, NC, United States
Added: Tuesday, 16 June 2009, 06:07 AM Mecca time, 03:07 AM GMT
"The problems will end and peace will occur when the external influences leave and South Asians (India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives) resolve outstanding issues leading to a prosperous and united future."
Sunny, Ottawa, Canada
Added: Monday, 15 June 2009, 08:02 AM Mecca time, 05:02 AM GMT
Gim The honest reason we are in Afghanistan is because of 9/11. I know you and your tin-foil crusted conspiracy theorists think that it was an inside job or some hogwosh, but the rest of the world has come to accept the self-apparent truth that Al-Qeada, a group of Saudi and Egyptian Islamic Extremists trained Afghanistan to kill my countrymen. The people who trained these terrorists remain in Afghanistan today and we will be there until the are eliminated or surrender. You don't get to attack America and then cower in your cave and call us invaders. Well, I guess you do because we really don't care what you call us. If we allowed the Al Qeada and the Taliban to walk free, it would set a dangerous precedent that there are no consequences for attacking America. Besides, the Taliban are terrible people who are bombing mosques in Pakistan because the military had the courage to stand up to them. Why are you never outraged when Muslim bullies kill defenseless Muslims?
J., LA, United States
Added: Monday, 15 June 2009, 06:31 AM Mecca time, 03:31 AM GMT
Gandhi did not want India partitioned. The future holds for a united South Asia. External influences were always the source of conflict in South Asia. External influences must leave South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives) to work out their differences among themselves and prosper.
