Kashmir Family Aid

Too much Trouble

Pakistan continues in turmoil. Despite all the fighting in neighboring states, Pakistan had, up until recently, remained free of terrorist bombing. It's almost a daily event now, as various groups go into the heart of the country to create mayhem. It's a balancing act now, as the unexpectedly assertive new government goes into the tribal areas to root out the problem. Afghanistan is of course a major influence. Taliban fighters, defeated in Iraq, hav moved to Afghanistan and taken refuge in the moutnains of western Pakistan. It's an awful situation with emerging evidence that the U.S. is not serious about seeing things through.

The biggest losers, as usual, are the children. Schools are being burned.

Will I be returning anytime soon? Maybe.

-s

A New Approach to Poppys

It seems to me this is a good move. Article from AP. It does crack me up that the LA Times and the AP are feeling much more positive about Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan with the Obama Administration in charge. Bush could do nothing right and Obama can do nothing wrong, although the evolving general policies are identical....-s

 http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i45D5zekcQEsPKeULo3S8cPzTccAD993669O0

WOW! Good news from Pakistan!?

This is from the LA Times. There should be room for some optimism now.

-sam

Zardari and the Pakistan Military are Digging In

President Asif Ali Zardari, in my opinion, has stepped up to the plate. He has limited government experience (He is the widower of Benazir Bhutto who was assinated in December 2007, and came to the top position almost by default). It is interesting to watch the internal war unfold with strike and counter-strike. Here is an article from yesterday, posted by AFP.

Meanwhile 2,000,000 Pakistanis are living in tents or with relatives. The average Pakistani family has 5 children, so, do the math.

-sam

Photos that Seem So Familiar

Follow this link to some of the best photography I've seen of camp children, displaced by the war in the north. It is a sad reminder of October 2005 and the 3,000,000 displaced by the Azad Kashmir earthquake. It's hard to imagine how horrible it is to live 10 in a tent for months at a time. The only bright light one might see is that it is sill months before winter snows arrive. But, then again, the temperatures of summer Pakistan are worse than brutal.

-sc