Thursday May 7, 2009

I've Been Thinking:

Finally, the leadership of Pakistan has decided to act against the Taliban.

Until this week Pakistani leadership was handcuffed, refusing to act against the Taliban in the Swat valley which is located a mere 60 miles from the capital of Islamabad.

For some unfathomable reason, leaders in Pakistan felt it judicious to merely sit and watch as the Taliban swarmed the Pakistani countryside.

Muslim history over the past few decades has shown that most leaders simply do not act against extremists. They hope that the extremists will wither away, they pray that by some miracle they will not have to fight the extremists, turning Muslim against Muslim. The result is that as time progresses extremists become stronger and stronger and Pakistani leaders become weaker and weaker.

This is exactly what was happening in Pakistan - until this week. With the insistence and the tough love and urging of the United States, Pakistan decided to confront the Taliban.

This is not just an important step - it is an essential step. Without acting against the Taliban there is no way that Pakistan can defend itself or protect itself.

The assumption that there is a grand Islamic code whereby a Muslim will not hurt a Muslim is simply wrong.

If permitted to do so, the Taliban will destroy Pakistan and the only way to save Pakistan is to attack the Taliban.

Finally, Pakistani leadership figured it out.

Pakistan will not only be helping itself, it will also be helping to make the world more secure.

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