Counter-Terrorism: The Necessary Evil

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December 14, 2009: Paranoia runs deep in Pakistan. Fearful of India gaining influence in Afghanistan, and "surrounding Pakistan," the Pakistani government refuses to come down hard on Islamic terrorist organizations that carry out attacks on India. While there have been no such attacks (not counting Kashmir) in the last year (since the Mumbai massacre), India reports that they have foiled twelve Islamic terror attacks in that period. Moreover, more Islamic terrorists have been attempting to cross over the Pakistani border into Kashmir, during the last year. So far this year, 395 of these terrorists (based and trained in Pakistan) were caught trying to cross. Last year, there were 342. In 2007 there were 535 and 573 in 2006.

Pakistan does move against Islamic terrorists that are at war with the Pakistani government, but for those that concentrate on India, there is a policy of leniency. While many Pakistani officials agree with their Indian counterparts, that all Islamic terrorist activity should be suppressed, there is still a large, and influential, number of Pakistani officials, especially in the military, who consider Islamic terrorism a necessary evil, at least as long as India exists.