Partly Facetious: had Musharraf breakfasted with Nawaz...

24 Jul, 2004

"Air Force jets and army helicopter gunships bombed militants' positions in Santoi and Mantoi mountain regions in the South Waziristan tribal area."
"If I didn't know the mountain regions are in Pakistan I would have thought this story was from Palestine or Iraq for that matter."
"Yep - there too the Israelis and the Americans are using jets and helicopter gunships."
"So you don't agree with our Government's policy?"
"It's difficult not to agree - though these tribals are not terrorists as defined by the Americans..."
"But terrorists as defined by Musharraf."
"Yes and to be honest I think what is happening may make you think of Israel but to me what these tribals are doing is not quite right either."
"But see the story also pointed out that with the ongoing fierce clashes, families were seen leaving the area. Witnesses said air strikes were launched after security forces captured some key locations, north of the Shakai Valley, and bombed militants' positions on hilltops."
"Militants, terrorists, freedom fighters and the latest addition to our repertoire is anti-American...I wish they would come up with a definition that is acceptable to all. I mean if it is happening in another country they call it terrorism and if it is by their own people they label it militancy. Why don't they just talk to these people and try to resolve issues?"
"Apparently they did but talks led to nowhere - these tribals are as intransigent as the French are."
"The French are intransigent?"
"Isn't that how Blair the Poodle defined them when the French President refused to send troops to Iraq or indeed to allow a UN resolution that would have made Bush and his Poodle look good domestically."
"I get it - it's all in the definition."
"Right you are."
"But still why don't they talk and resolve issues?"
"Like if India and Pakistan can talk..."
"You referring to the meeting between our Kasturi and the Indian Natwar?"
"Yep...the breakfast meeting."
"Reminds me of Nawaz Sharif's hey day. Remember his love for poori halwa, nihari, lassi and paaya, all those rich foods for breakfast, and by the time his enemies had finished eating breakfast they were too full to be able to move too much."
"Musharraf did..."
"Hey Musharraf didn't have breakfast with him when the coup happened."
"Ah yes! You think if he had had breakfast with Nawaz..."
"He would have been too full to move for a few hours - meanwhile Nawaz would have taken corrective measures."

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