Rewind to 2001. After it was clear that US will retaliate for 9/11 by attacking Al-Qaida in Afghanistan, everyone here and in Pakistan wanted Taliban to cut ties with A-Q and save their people. No. Cultural traditions of protecting "guests" was deemed supreme. Al Qaida promised that they will fight "side by side" with their Taliban hosts.
Result: An already war-torn Afghanistan was further plummeled by aerial bombing, country brutally occupied by foreign forces, whatever Islamic government was set up by Taliban (regardless of how mis-guided it may be) thrown away, all Taliban leaders arrested or on the run, country fell into civil war and control of war lords. Still going through abject misery and fighting.
Moral of the story: When any terrorist moron says "I'll fight side by side with you", don't start nara-e-takbeer and jump up and down in cries of "unity". Their support will doom you. Pakistan is much better off by making a serious and meaningful effort in rooting out terrorism. Not lip servie. Not meek moves. But bold action to make life miserable for all terror outfits, their leadership, their supporters and their plans. If it means that our own security forces need to be cleaned up of moron sympathisers, that should be done as a number one priority.
Of course, we always have the alternative of doing nothing. Let Pakistan become a basket-case of failed policies, a pariah of the world for harboring terrorists and claim to be the self-professed fortress of Islam. We can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other similar leaders of other terrorism promoting havens - Sudan, Yemen, Iran and Somalia.
Time for Pakistanis and our leadership to finally make a serious choice.
Bravo! Well said sir. But it is the nihilistic mentality of the mullahs and their sympathizers as evidenced by members even here which says that as long as even one "kafir" dies, it is ok for all of Pakistan to burn and turn into Somalia or Afghanistan. This is the same type of hate filled revenge mindset that was also the driving force behind the mumbai attackers, where barbaric violence is the answer to all problems.
Our fate is clear and well deserved if God forbid we decide to fight "shoulder to shoulder" with creatures from the dark ages: taliban