IS attack on innocent people in Pakistan.
Sharing my comments, published in Washington Post on February 16, 2017 on the news item “Islamic State blast at famed Sufi shrine in Pakistan kills at least 73″ Click for URL
I convey my sympathies to all the innocent people, who have been killed in this barbaric act, It should also strengthen the resolve of the world community to fight global menace of terrorism together.
Such incidences highlight few difficult questions, which the world community, affected countries & regional players need to honestly ask themselves. Let me spell out few of them.
Can any country harboring, nourishing and supporting some terrorist organizations, ever think of being safe itself ?
Is the theory of designating favorable terrorists as extremists/social workers and unfavorable terrorists as bad terrorists a workable theory ? Terrorism in any form is bad, and there are no good & bad terrorists.
Is double gaming of supporting one terrorist group and opposing another, being played by many countries, not a disastrous one?
Will the individual countries ever look beyond their own petty interests to save the innocent global population ?
While everyone has its own concept of fighting terrorism, but every innocent person killed, even if related to terrorist, gives rise to few more terrorists.
With decades of experience of fighting terrorism, I can say that the so called ‘Global fight against Terrorism’ is just fighting the effects of terrorism and not the causes. I see no reason why countries financing terrorism not being questioned by world community/organizations. I see no reason why some countries fear even naming the terrorist leader of UN designated terrorist organization as terrorist.
The policy of appeasing some terrorist groups with a hope to prevent backlash in own areas is a failed concept, because terrorists are like monsters, who can bite their sponsors any time.
Relating terrorism to any religion is flawed, because terrorist has no religion and no religion teaches killing innocent people.
I sincerely hope that the global community realizes this expanding danger of terrorism and genuinely joins to fight it.
Gen Asthana
Such incidences highlight few difficult questions, which the world community, affected countries & regional players need to honestly ask themselves. Let me spell out few of them.
Can any country harboring, nourishing and supporting some terrorist organizations, ever think of being safe itself ?
Is the theory of designating favorable terrorists as extremists/social workers and unfavorable terrorists as bad terrorists a workable theory ? Terrorism in any form is bad, and there are no good & bad terrorists.
Is double gaming of supporting one terrorist group and opposing another, being played by many countries, not a disastrous one?
Will the individual countries ever look beyond their own petty interests to save the innocent global population ?
While everyone has its own concept of fighting terrorism, but every innocent person killed, even if related to terrorist, gives rise to few more terrorists.
With decades of experience of fighting terrorism, I can say that the so called ‘Global fight against Terrorism’ is just fighting the effects of terrorism and not the causes. I see no reason why countries financing terrorism not being questioned by world community/organizations. I see no reason why some countries fear even naming the terrorist leader of UN designated terrorist organization as terrorist.
The policy of appeasing some terrorist groups with a hope to prevent backlash in own areas is a failed concept, because terrorists are like monsters, who can bite their sponsors any time.
Relating terrorism to any religion is flawed, because terrorist has no religion and no religion teaches killing innocent people.
I sincerely hope that the global community realizes this expanding danger of terrorism and genuinely joins to fight it.
Gen Asthana
Asthana Writes 