"I don't think that is fair."
"I agree. And while I fully agree that the US policy of invading Iraq was not the right thing to do yet killing Iraqis, their own people, as a protest against US occupation doesn't seem right to me either."
"Well, Bush has generated so much hatred for the US that any one seen collaborating with the Americans is fair target if you know what I mean. However you know it as well as I that once battle lines have been drawn, then moral or ethical justifications just do not prevail. But that is not what I was referring to."
"Well, if you were referring to their build-up against Iran then, too, I agree with you. Bush's America is poised to attack Iran and I predict that it will..."
"And Poodle's poodle, and I mean Jack Straw, has said the US is going to exhaust diplomacy first."
"Sounds like our Baloch situation. The Balochis are threatening the government, the government says with a straight face that they want a political solution while with another face they have done a house to house search, incarcerated hundreds of Balochis, taken over land for yet another cantonment which the army says they have paid for and the tribals are saying they appropriated...I mean these are very serious charges and there is no independent agency in this country to make an accurate assessment of the situation."
"Why do they need cantonments? I endorse the idea of a garrison near Sui to protect national installations but why cantonment areas?"
"I guess more control. But they need one policy there. If there is to be political negotiations then the cantonment idea should also be put on the table."
"Political agreements have to be sanctioned by Musharraf and he seems reluctant to reverse the proactive policy, shall we say, requiring troops to search, incarcerate and take over or purchase land for the cantonment."
"But then he has Tariq Aziz running around."
"He had him running around with the Maulanas as well. Nothing came of that...and promises were allegedly reneged on. But in any case that is not what I thought was unfair. I was referring to the decision of the Customs Department not to scan the Hajis luggage. I mean if you suppose that a Haji would not engage in such activity so soon after performing Haj then it may not be an accurate assessment. If I remember correctly all our politicians have done Umra and Haj but few have a clean record, if you know what I mean."
"Yes, besides I never understood scanning luggage of Pakistanis returning home. I mean foreign countries scan the luggage before putting it in the plane. So what's the point of rescanning the luggage upon arrival?"
"In case contraband...well, alcohol, for example, is contraband in this country but not in others."
"And if you put alcohol in anything but your hand luggage it may break."
"Oh yes. Maybe it is to keep the Customs people busy, you know as part of the discipline."
"I thought that was for the cricketers."
"And Customs people, and the bureaucrats and the politicians and..."
"In short, everyone."
"Yes its good for national interest."
"As are all our President's decisions and statements."
"Indeed."