Pakistan Fights Taliban, Still Finds Time to Blame the Jews

by Michael Bear · 2009-05-10 23:34:00 UTC
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Good news - Looks like the Pakistani army's recent offensive against Taliban militants in Buner and Swat is actually making progress.

(And, in the "soft bigotry of low expectations" department - never a good sign when the New York Times feels the need to call your military offensive "surprisingly vigorous".)

Bad news - As seems to be the recent trend (see - Sri Lanka), both the military and the rebels seem to be doing their best to ensure massive civilian casualties.

According to one refugee interviewed by the New York Times:

“We have nothing.  We have no blankets and no food. The government is bombing us from the mountains, and the Taliban is shooting at us from the city.

“The army and the Taliban are not killing each other — they are friends. They are only killing civilians. When civilians are killed, the government says they have killed a bunch of terrorists.”

As many as 200,000 people have recently fled the fighting; the Pakistani government estimates that another 300,000 might flee in the coming days.

(You know it's bad when MSF has to cease operations.)

Good news - At least Pakistan is, ummmmmm, finally proving itself a worthy ally in the global war on terror.

Bad news - According to one Pakistani newspaper:

"The security forces also distributed pamphlets in various areas accusing the Taliban of playing in the hands of anti-Pakistan elements. ‘They are the same as Jewish forces who are against the existence and security of the country and wanted to create disturbance in the region,’ read a leaflet."

Unless I'm misinterpreting something, Pakistan seems to be saying that Jews control the Taliban.  Right.  Good luck with that one.  (Or, simply, what the fuck?)

[Pakistani civilians flee fighting - Photo from the New York Times]

Michael Bear
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