Where the Jihad Lives Now

These goofy authors should be thankful to Pakistan who is fighting the war against terrorism for America and paying the ultimate price. We had to suicide bombers until after 911. If it was n ot for Pakistan there would have been many more 911s. Ungrateful as beofre when Pakistan helped the west dismantle Soviet Union. What Pakistan should do is get out of the war on terror and let Americ a deal with it. We will see how long that lasts when body bag double.

To dissenting Pakistani bloggers: Sorry guys, we feel your pain but don't share it. Fact is India is the one without a general ruling it right now. Fact is we are despite all our short comings are the ones on the go and not short for wanting. Fact is we, Indians, at home and abroad, are engaged in a dialog about what we were, are and want to be. Fact is ... facts are facts. Meanwhile, where is Osama Bin Laden? How is Dr. Khan?

Well, the article, beyond doubt,is biased and do not reflect the ground reality. Seems like the authors have been paid by Indian and Jews lobbies to do so.

Yes, there are some extreme elements within the security agencies but the quantity of those people is not considerable at all. Yes, many people in pakistan do not like American policies and thus do not support them world wide but that is true for any other country. Most of the US policies are not even supported by their own people.

The extremists are more vocal but the article just pictures one side and do not even discuss the other view of the moderates.

Pakistan is going through a state that is being created by US policies in the region. It will take time before Pakistan would be able to reign in these problems. The nuclear assets have been there in safe hands for over 10 years and they will be like that. It is just false propaganda to assume that the so called terrorists would get their hands on them.

I would request the people @ Newsweek to stop being toyed by the lobbies whose absolutely false propaganda you have been spreading. By printing these kind of articles, Newsweek may earn some business and dollars from certain lobbies but will lose the credibility and honor, something so much needed at this hour.

I don't agree with the Ron Moreau and Michael Hirsh, .01% does not represent the whole nation or country yes there are militants by the grace of USA, who funded and trained peoples like osma bin ladin to fight against USSR, Now we are receiving herion in return of what we did for USA, western media has double standards, What the Americans did to muslims after 911, and what the Hundu's did in Gujrat are they blind or deaf.We don't have any F-Series or other air craft which are dangerous for the nations so we are not dengerous nation those who own these types of aircrafts and misslies and other things which are harmfull for the mankind are dagerous nations.

Please do not make these kinds of claims because of your ignorance about Pakistan, it sounds like somebody is making big lies. To claim that Pakistan is more dangerous than Iraq just not right. The following are to inform you of some truths about the environment there.

1 ??? The current female US Ambassador traveled to Ms. Bhutto's home to ask her about the explosion in her rally. The US Ambassador in Iraq from what I understand can not even get out of the Green Zone. I understand that there are stupid people in every country, and Pakistan is no different with these people who want to blow themselves up to prove a point.

2 ??? Recently, a few days ago, Australia???s Under 19 Cricket team played 7 one day matches in various cites in Pakistan. Can any country send its team to play safely in the different cities of Iraq?

3 - Currently, South Africa???s team is playing Cricket matches in different cities of Pakistan.

4 ??? There is a soccer tournament currently going on, I understand teams from South America are also there.
I hope you make some clarifications about your article to scare less US people. The general population of Pakistan like Americans very much. People in Pakistan quote George Washington and Abraham Lincoln about their courage, boldness and fairness.



Thanks,

Tom Chaudhry.

New Jersey, USA.

Please do not make these kinds of claims because of your ignorance about Pakistan, it sounds like somebody is making big lies. To claim that Pakistan is more dangerous than Iraq just not right. The following are to inform you of some truths about the environment there.

1 ??? The current female US Ambassador traveled to Ms. Bhutto's home to ask her about the explosion in her rally. The US Ambassador in Iraq from what I understand can not even get out of the Green Zone. I understand that there are stupid people in every country, and Pakistan is no different with these people who want to blow themselves up to prove a point.

2 ??? Recently, a few days ago, Australia???s under 19 Cricket team played 7 one day matches in various cites in Pakistan. Can any country send its team to play safely in the different cities of Iraq?

3 - Currently, South Africa???s team is playing Cricket matches in different cities of Pakistan.

4 ??? There is a soccer tournament currently going on, I understand teams from South America are also there.
I hope you make some clarifications about your article to scare less US people. The general population of Pakistan like Americans very much. People in Pakistan quote George Washington and Abraham Lincoln about their courage, boldness and fairness.

Thanks,
Tom Chaudhry.
New Jersey, USA.

A rather hateful and deeply biased article by Ron Moreau and Michael Hirsh laced your pages with venom as the lead article. Not to mention that it was short on reality and more on sinister fantasy and dark paranoia. Yes we are undergoing are a crisis like situation on our borders and it has shown its affects in cities as well but we are nowhere close to US controlled Baghdad or Kabul.

9/11 was the most horrific terrorist incident of the modern human history. But let us not forget the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer and Timothy McVeigh who with their heinous and hateful acts of terror make this earth less hospitable every day. USA nuked Japan, made an ass of itself in Korea and Vietnam yet none of these make USA the most dangerous or untrustworthy country in the world. Nor do hundreds of daily muggings in DC, LA, Chicago and NYC makes it most dangerous.

Pakistan is on the receiving end as much as USA is but what boggles my mind is the dual standard the western media applies vis-??-vis Pakistan. General Zia-ul-Haq made a decision from the office of the President of Pakistan to aid USA achieve its aims in the dismemberment of Soviet Union, and that decision has continued to haunt us to this day in the form of hateful legacy of the unholy alliance between the cunning Zia and USA. The intolerance, sectarianism, extremism and the rise of jihadist Islam are all courtesy of USA and Zia. We were fools yesterday and we are fools today and may well be fools tomorrow if we don???t take our own decisions reflecting our own interests.

It seems that the western press is hell-bent on declaring us as a failed state and ready for some kind of preemptive action by US and western allies. What they fail to see that the majority of Pakistanis are normal decent hardworking fun loving folks who have nothing to do with Osama or Mulla Omer or their types BUT feel threatened by the stupidity of USA and its rulers and equally so by the Osamas and Mullas of the world. To us USA is no different from Osama bin Laden or Mulla Omer. They both want us destroyed.

Cheers

Khawar M

Dear Newsweek,
Apropos your cover story on the dangerous situation in Pakistan in your last issue, the article provided some important facts and perspectives , but did ultimately provided a disservice by not contextualizing the situation in Pakistan.
First of all, important historical facts are not mentioned: The anti-Soviet war in Afghanistan is rightly identified as the historic fountainhead of today's radicalism, but it is not mentioned that the USA and Western Europe were closely identified in the waging of this war. Further, it has not been reported that in the aftermath of the War, Pakistan was abandoned to deal with the fallout and in fact legislative measures like the Pressler Amendment curbed US aid to Pakistan. This fact has been acknowledged by high ranking officials of the current Bush administration and also by congressmen.
Second, the negative worldwide sentiments against current USA foreign policy have not been mentioned either. Large swathes of the public, in fact majorities, in countries as distinct as Germany, Chile, Argentina and Turkey, have mobilized against the military campaigns being waged in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere which have lead to considerable civilian casualties and destruction of public infrastructure. Providing this perspective would have helped to better understand the current roots of increased radicalism.
Thirdly and most important, Pakistan's amazing economic development over the last seven years which includes doubling of GNP, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, an order of magnitude increase in investment and remmitances, and one of the fast growing stock market indices in the world, has received no mention. This contextualization would have helped readers understand that while incidents of terrorism and sentiments of radicalism do exist in a marginalized section of the population, the same situation exists in countries like India, Israel and Lebanon, which continue to provide economic growth, social development and an improving lifestyle to their populations despite these challenges.
Finally, a clear implication of even the narrow and uncontextualized information and commentary provided by the article is that -- precisely because Pakistan is taking such a strong stand against the terrorists and making headway -- is it facing this terrorist backlash. Surely, the media, international community and the USA need to appreciate and support Pakistan during this passage of time rather than subjecting its administration to shallow criticism.
Thanks
Yusuf Hussain
Islamabad

It is high time that the masses and leaderiship should understand the value of peace. It is also important that we stop poking our nose into the affairs of others and concentrate on the development of our own country. Terrorism is an issue of underdevelopment. Where there is lack of development people in despair become violent thus leading to the development of community where agression becomes only tool.
Your article tells the story of a country in sorry state of affairs but it would have been even more interesting had sorted out the soiution to these problems. Again many problems of peace are not of our own making .. Using Taliban for Afghan Jehad was praised and sponsored by the west and when it came to undo the militant faction it is only Pakistan who is to be blamed .. The west has to take the responsibility of this as well and bring about a positive change in the war torn society of pakistan especially the north west of Pakistan
Ahmad Raza Khan

Comment: Pakistans badly needs an honest election and a Government that is visible elected without any US influence. Such a Government will be in a position to take strong decisions to preserve Pakistans integrity and stop interference both by home grown mullah and infiltrationg islamists from Afghanistan. If there appears to be any sympathy for the Taliban types it comes from the hatered for Musharraf. Secondly Musharrafs agencies are more committed to subdue the political opposition rather than work and pick afghanis from within Pakistan. Your Articles Major shortcoming is to not even mention of Nawaz Sharif, the most popular Pakistani leader at this time. Are you not doing the same mistake as is Musharraf. A pro-wesern leader with credentials of an independent (rather than a US stooge) leader can produce results that we all want in Pakistan and will be in US interest too. Posted by M. Afzal Khan

Just after Benazir Bhutto went there, and there was a suicide attack.....Mr. Ron Moreau and Michael Hirsh think OH MY GOD : This is the most dangerous country! HUH?? Excuse me??...I am not sure what is the deal and controversy behind you guys really up there for Benazir, but she has been known as a corrupt lady who looted the country's 'aid' money!..I mean there were many other attakc on those poor people before, then noone said it was a dangerous country.. I do feel sorry and have much sorrow and pain for those innocent who died in this attack however. See Pakistan experienced same attacks before on different occassions, even the President and the Prime minister experienced assassination attempts...but do we know for sure the taliban or the religious extremists are behind these?? I mean for sure???..NO! We just like to blame. I am sorry but I think everyone should know how complex Pakistani politics may get, and it is not about the country being dangerous, because of the political unstability, there are many political enemies in our country who are out there with big conferenceds and all, but yet, they in reality have enemies of their own as well as they themselves are enemies of other parties. So, this could be a main factor. Pakistan is not 'the most' dangerous country at all....It is still Iraq...and yes I do agree with the person below, its could eaily be USA becaue USA is always attempting to invade others...Please it is time to stop and think about how unsuccesful and disgraced we were in Iraq....there is no way we could try blaming others when we don't have the right potentials to do so. Pakistan is a beautiful and peaceful country, only with the US pressure and forces, the militants will try migrate there and create such a disturbance that both the Pakistani nation and the US officals will feel pain in. Pakistani people are disturbed and disappointed with this article from Newsweek magazine.

Just after Benazir Bhutto went there, and there was a suicide attack.....Mr. Ron Moreau and Michael Hirsh think OH MY GOD : This is the most dangerous country! HUH?? Excuse me??...I am not sure what is the deal and controversy behind you guys really up there for Benazir, but she has been known as a corrupt lady who looted the country's 'aid' money!...ha! I do feel sorry and have much sorrow and pain for those innocent who died in this attack however. See Pakistan experienced same attacks before on different occassions, even the President and the Prime minister experienced assassination attempts...but do we know for sure the taliban or the religious extremists are behind these?? I mean for sure???..NO! We just like to blame. I am sorry but I think everyone should know how complex Pakistani politics may get, and it is not about the country being dangerous, because of the political unstability, there are many political enemies in this country who are out there with big conferences and all, but yet, they in reality have enemies of their own as well as they themselves are enemies of other parties. So, this could be a main factor. Pakistan is not 'the most' dangerous country at all......and yes I do agree with the person below, its could eaily be USA becaue USA is always attempting to invade others...Please it is time to stop and think about how unsuccesful adn disgraced we were in Iraq....there is no way we could try blaming others when we don't have the right potentials to do so. Pakistan is a beautiful and peaceful country; only with the US pressure and forces, the militants will try migrate there and create such a disturbance that both the Pakistani nation and the US officals will feel pain in. Pakistani nation is disturbed by this cover article in the Newsweek magazine, I've watched the tv programs there and they feel disappointed in this statement.

Khubaib Usmani-Islamabad
Dear Editor,
I was shocked to read the one sided version of your correspondents regarding the most dangerous place on earth. Unfortunately, no comparison was drawn in terms of no. of suicide attacks, no.of people killed and the extent of damage done to the property in a given year. That the Americans are the most hated nation in the world is an open secret now. What saddened me most is that your country is the most lawless state in the world as well. Hundreds of thousands of people are detained in Gauntonamo without any trial; Is it justice? The inmates are not being given any access to their lawyers; is it justice? Iraq was attacked on the pretext of WMDs.No WMDs were found there; is it justice? USA has the largest stockpiles of nukes in the world, yet it talks about a nuclear free world; is this justice? The so called jihadis during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan were trained, armed and funded by CIA.Now,after the demise of USSR these jihadis turned into terrorists overnight ;is it justice? Your country introduced the concept of embedded journalism during Iraq war which is a distorted version of truth; is it justice? Millions of innocent people have been murdered in Iraq and Afghanistan in so-called war on terror; is this justice? USA openly support autocratic governments in Islamic world; is it justice? The charter of UNO stresses the member countries not to interfere in the internal matters of any member state, USA openly violates this charter; is this justice? I think you need to understand that the most dangerous countries in the world today are Iraq and Afghanistan and that too because of American forces deployed there. USA could not achieve anything despite spending 2.4 trillion $.American public must hold George Bush accountable for this.

I would like to point out that the cover for this issue appears to be a poorly constructed composite. It is quite obvious that the face of the man at the center of the picture, who by the way appears to be the "most dangerous", was added to the picture of the protesting students. The head is too large in proportion to the other people around him, and the lighting is completely off. Also that man appears to be much older than the other students in the picture. Not only that, he is much shorter than everyone around him and yet his head is huge. I think it is pretty sad that a magazine like Newsweek has to sink to level of a tabloid and doctor its photographs in order to inflame its readers and sell magazines.

What is there to say. Just becuase you, The USA and Isreal, have the print media, you have all the rights to write anything.
I have always been a big fan of Newsweek, but for you to scoop so low, its a disgrace. For me the USA is the most dangerous country. They are the ones that invade other countries just when they want to. Same with isreal, they can bomb whom ever and when ever. Please grow up. It does not mean that you can write anything...

What is there to say. Just becuase you, The USA and Isreal, have the print media, you have all the rights to write anything.
I have always been a big fan of Newsweek, but for you to scoop so low, its a disgrace. For me the USA is the most dangerous country. They are the ones that invade other countries just when they want to. Same with isreal, they can bomb whom ever and when ever. Please grow up. It does not mean that you can write anything...

By reading and looking at the footage of benazir's return to pakistan, it seemed very obvious that she wanted to give every oppurtunity to a suicide bomber to attack her convoy. This convoy had been on the road for over 10 hours and had barely travelled 5 miles. Why would she not heed to to the govt agencies advise to travel by helicopter first of all and secondly her trip should end within the daylight hours as was requested by the police. No, she decides otherwise. She is going to do it her way only and that is the only way it is going to be. She complained that there were not enough night street lights at close to mid night. In some areas the street lights were out. If that was a threat, then why her convoy was not speeded out of that area right away. Had she lost all her common sense---this is karachi pakistan---where quite often, there is a power failure. What I would say is that after Benazir had refused to take this threat seriously and refused to abide by the guidelines of safe tavel, the pakisrani government should have refused to offer her any security related protection unless she followed through with the directives. She may indeed be an ex-prime minister of pakistan but as of now, she is not eligible to hold that office any more because of the constitutional amendments. I believe that Musharraf went out too far on the limb to accomodate her---and today I firmly believe that he is paying a very heavy price of what he has done. Benazir may have duped Musharraf one time, but her political statements are not going to help her any further in her endeavours. she is going down in the path of history as another failure.

First of all let me first say that this article is an insult and frankly a slap in the face for the Pakistani community. In all of my time living here I have never felt threatened or felt that my life was in danger. The "Islamicist Monster" that this article claims exists has never truly been present in my sight at any time. In fact the Islamicism that is seen here is not compulsory, it is simply an individual's choice to adopt that type of devout lifestyle. As for Osama, well he may be hidden somewhere in the mountains in Tibet for all I care. The locals of the area implied would be far too traditionalist to allow for his extremist ways. This land is not the land of danger as you in your article have tried to say, it is a land that I growing and developing and is simply having some growing pains (may I bring to light the Revolutionary and Civil Wars?). In time all will work them selves out, and one day Pakistan will rise to be a proud nation, and the road to success is only a few kilometers away, paved and ready for Pakistan to travel on it for many long years to come.
Peace

I'm sorry but I honestly cannot agree with this article. I live here and the "Islamicist Monster" honestly does not exist, and I must question the honesty and basis of this composition as they seem to be based on very unstable foundations. Might I ask the editors to please reconsider posting this article as I find it an insult to this country, much the same as America being confronted with the headline "Where MS13 has taken control". I feel that the people who wrote this article are simply looking to release their anger and frustration and have decided to pick on Pakistan, as all the other Islamic nations are taken. This point might be taken to say that Pakistan does not deserve this, and that the nation has been left alone till now because it really does not pose that much of a threat, and if one perceives that argument in that fashion, they are correct. To say daily life here is more dangerous than the previous candidates is a COMPLETELY false statement. In all my time here I have never felt truly in danger, or have ever feared for my life. All I have ever feared for is that I might publicly embarrass myself by going in the out exit at the local shopping center. Please reconsider your article as it may offend and insult many.
Peace