CURRENT TOPICS: Talk of the town

Once again "Terror" has become the talk of the town. We have known incidents of violence and bloodshed around the world which grieve us because of the innocent lives lost but willy nilly we have learnt to live with it. The 7th July London bombings have suddenly brought the subject into sharp focus.
Of course everyone condemns the mindless brutality but I observe that this time more and more people, instead of lambasting with vengeance, are trying to understand why educated, intelligent and not necessarily penniless young men in their twenties should sacrifice their lives. It is recollected that in the case of 9/11, terrorists belonged to sophisticated starta of Arab society, having qualified to fly Boeings they had proved intellectual and technological competence to match any white counterpart.
In the recent years "terrorism" is equated with Islamic Jehad against the West, forgetting that terror is resorted to by many individuals, groups and even states to achieve their purpose. America's campaign to eradicate international terrorism was misconceived and clumsily executed as a result of which the number of terrorists operating around the world has multiplied manifold.
The recent origin of terrorism can be traced back to Palestine. When US-UK planted the state of Israel in the Middle-East, the Palestinians were displaced in their own land.
Resistance on their part was brutally suppressed by the Israeli army with bloody reprisals wherein many non-combatant Palestinians were killed. In anger and desperation suicide bombers sacrificed their lives by blowing themselves up in crowded Jewish localities. The world promptly branded it as terrorism of the worst kind. The agitation and fear thus caused in the western world has tempted all those who call themselves fighters for a cause to adopt it as a weapon of choice.
Pentagon and C.I.A. trained and taught Osama-bin-Laden to fight against Russian army occupying Afghanistan. Once the Soviets were defeated, USA lost interest in Afghanistan and the allies who helped them. Osama was aggrieved at America's domination of Middle-East and particularly his own country Saudi Arabia. He also resented what he perceived as anti-Islam stance of US rulers. Though a millionaire in his own right, he was a pious Muslim and started believing that he was ordained by Allah to resist the West and its evil influence to subjugate Islamic countries.
He is being accused of planning massive terrorist attacks against US interests -- embassies in Africa, a ship in Yemen waters and other stray incidents culminating with 9/11 a sophisticated strike in the heart of US mainland. When America attacked Afghanistan, the objective was to capture Osama and punish the Taleban who had given him sanctuary.
They failed miserably to apprehend Osama and while Taleban have been ousted from power, but still remain active to destabilise the country. The invasion of Iraq has removed Saddam considered a threat but other than that it has developed into a self-defeating adventure. It has provided a fertile ground to al Qaeda to harass USA and its allies, taking full advantage of the local insurgency which would have petered out after general elections but for Zarqawi's support who perhaps considers Iraqi deaths as collateral damage.
The way things are going I am afraid the chances of civil war are increasing. Pursuant to investigations of the transport bombing in London, attention is focussed on Pakistan as terrorist training location, merely because the alleged bombers, though British nationals, were of Pakistan origin and are reported to have visited this country last year.
As yet no link has been established connecting the boys with seminaries. However, our Madaris are notorious for fundamentalist teaching and propagating militant extremism. Musharraf has not succeeded thus far in eliminating the religious schools which spread bigotry and often become breeding ground for militant extremists.
The London blasts and the alleged linkage with Pakistan has, therefore, provided the government an opportunity to round up mullahs who call themselves educators but in fact preach intolerance under strict religious regimentation. With or without the support of liberal parties who have their own political axes to grind, it behoves Musharraf to pursue the radicals relentlessly and rid the country of their nefarious influence.