Militant Threat in South Asia

Submitted by Mitzi Alvin (United States), Jan 21, 2010 at 15:59

In today's NYTimes (Jan.21) there is an article that is so insistent on omitting the obvious, I actually laughed out loud. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is warning that "extremist groups" are trying to "destabilize" the region, that "Taliban groups" and "other militant organizations" working under the "umbrella of Al Qaeda" are a "syndicate of terrorist operators" which includes "Lashkar-e-taiba, a Pakistan militant group." "Groups," "organiztions," "operators." They get the adjective right, but not the noun. As if all these enitities have in common is militantcy. Not once does Gates say who or what is all this militantcy about. Not once does the adjective, militant, modify the appropriate noun: Islam. The adherents of militant Islam can shout their inspiration from the rooftops. No one can, but other Muslims, can hear it. Somehow, Islam is always beside the point. That must be very frustrating for those pious souls trying to do Allah's work.

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