June 1, 2005

I forget: Do we want democracy in Pakistan or not?

Here's a story from Reuters:

Six KFC Workers Burned To Death In Karachi Violence

Six employees of American fast-food franchise KFC were burned to death in Karachi during a riot that followed a suicide attack on a mosque in the southern Pakistani city, rescue workers said on Tuesday. Angry Shi'ites set fire to the restaurant after the mosque attack in which five people died on Monday night...

More than 100 people have been killed in tit-for-tat attacks by majority Sunni and Shi'ite militants in the past year. Most of the attacks have been blamed on Sunni militant groups with links to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network which have been angered by Pakistan's support for the war on terrorism.

Analysts say the Sunni militants have revived long standing sectarian rivalry as a means to destabilize President Pervez Musharraf's government.

Shi'ite mobs often target symbols of U.S. influence after sectarian attacks as they accuse the government of failing to act to prevent religious violence.

The attack on the KFC outlet came just minutes after attack on the Karachi mosque.

Let me see if I have this straight: To protest Pakistan's dictator's support for America, Sunnis blow up Shi'ite mosques. In revenge, the Shi'ites burn down Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets because they are symbols of America. Makes perfect sense, at least by the standards of the Islamic world.

Don't you get the feeling that the only thing that could possibly bring these people together enough to get along in a democracy would be their mutual loathing of America?


My published articles are archived at iSteve.com -- Steve Sailer

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