The Reaction in Pakistan
I was curious to know how the Pakistani media was treating this, so I just had a look at Dawn. They're running a series of interviews headlined Osama bin Who? This is, apparently, "What locals and Pakistanis living abroad said when we asked them about you know who!"
I obviously can't really get a read on what people there are thinking, but found the comments fascinating in the confusion and mixed emotion they suggest:
Hira Azmat, a senior college student from Lahore says “If I were American I'd be celebrating. Unfortunately, I'm Pakistani and we're doomed either way… [Osama’s death] means nothing in practical terms, but is a potent enough symbol to get Obama re-elected. I realised this will inevitably unleash more violence on Pakistani cities from the misguided looking for vengeance; the children of Osama that we've coddled… [Regarding celebration in the US] It’s funny to see self-proclaimed liberals reveling in bloodlust but, good for them – it’s about time really...It was hilarious that [on CNN] they called Abbottabad a suburb of Islamabad - any distortion of facts is okay as long as it makes for a spiffy soundbyte : classic American media. I think the Pakistan army has some explaining to do, there’s no way they can talk their way out of this one - apparently he lived eight hundred yards away from a military academy.”
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: The Reaction in Pakistan
Give that guy a membership to Ricochet.
He makes more sense than 90% of American college students.
May '10
Re: The Reaction in Pakistan
Agreed that the kid quoted is remarkably sophisticated in his insights.
But the smug tone of the feature only makes me wants to respond to Pakistanis: "Oh, we forgot to sign the most recent check? Really? Well send it back and we'll fix that. We promise."
Jul '10
Re: The Reaction in Pakistan
Kenneth: Give that guy a membership to Ricochet.
He makes more sense than 90% of American college students. · May 2 at 9:00am
Give that girl a membership you mean.
And unfortunately, that kind of insight and even handedness is increasingly rare as Pakistanis continue to blame their problems on the usual suspects of India, the US and Israel, in no particular order. And it's not all fire and brimstone jihadist bombast. Many Pakistanis find it easier to blame the US than their own string of corrupt, ineffective governments for the country's problems.
And as for what Pakistanis think, I'll let you know after my cousins wake up.
Dec '10
Re: The Reaction in Pakistan
Humza Ahmad
And unfortunately, that kind of insight and even handedness is increasingly rare as Pakistanis continue to blame their problems on the usual suspects of India, the US and Israel, in no particular order. And it's not all fire and brimstone jihadist bombast. Many Pakistanis find it easier to blame the US than their own string of corrupt, ineffective governments for the country's problems.
And as for what Pakistanis think, I'll let you know after my cousins wake up. · May 2 at 12:24pm
Here are some telling statistics from the CIA World Factbook:
Pakistan
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,400 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
$2,400 (2009 est.)
$2,400 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
India
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,400 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
$3,200 (2009 est.)
$3,000 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
Pakistan is poor and its per capita GDP is stagnant.
India is poor but becoming less so with time.
There is no clearer counter to the narrative that seceding to form Pakistan gave Indian Muslims the freedom to build a glorious future.
Dec '10
Re: The Reaction in Pakistan
Humza: by the way, in the popular narrative, how do average Pakistanis figure that Israel is responsible for anything that happens in or to Pakistan?
Jul '10
Re: The Reaction in Pakistan
Long answer: The last time I was there was just after 9/11. All my cousins were upset that the US had invaded Afghanistan, which would then lead to a US invasion of Pakistan. While at a high society dinner party, a rich, educated lady walks up to my mother and says "Oh come now. You're a professional, educated woman. How could these men in caves have possibly taken down the Twin Towers? Don't you think it was the Jews?"
Short answer: In very creative ways.