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Monday, March 17, 2014

Pakistan comes by

Our newest first-time visitor comes to us from Pakistan. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is  the sixth-most populous nation in the world with 180 million people, and the 36-largest in terms of land area.  Wikipedia has an interesting take on Pakistan:
Pakistan's post-independence history has been characterised by periods of military rule, political instability and conflicts with neighbouring India. The country continues to face challenging problems, including overpopulation, terrorism, poverty, illiteracy and corruption but regardless of that it ranks among the countries with most income equality[14] while has among the worlds most happiest citizens.[15] It also ranks among worlds most powerful countries. It is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Next Eleven Economies, SAARC, ECO, UfC,D8, Cairns Group, Kyoto Protocol, ICCPR, RCD, UNCHR, Group of Eleven, CPFTA, Group of 24, the G20 developing nations, ECOSOC, founding member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (now the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation), and CERN.[16] It is also characterized as a Major non-NATO ally byUnited States.
"Income equality"? I guess that's one way to describe pretty much everybody being mired in abject poverty. As for being among the world's "most powerful countries," that's true, but not because Pakistan belongs to a bunch of inernational organizations. Being a nuclear power with at least several dozen warheads and ballistic delivery systems (missiles, kids) might have a little something to do with it.

The Wikipedia main page article on Pakistan also ignores the very existence of the Directorate of InterServices Intelligence, Pakistan's intelligence agency. The ISI has a history of of supporting terrorism, training and support for the Taliban, harboring Osama Bin Laden and sponsoring terrorist activities overseas, notably in India. The ISI was heavily involved in planning the November 2008 terrorist attack on the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, India that left more than 160 people dead.

Normally I try to find nice things to say about first-time visitor nations. But this isn't a travel blog -- except when I say it is -- and Pakistan is no friend of the U.S. I'm sure there are a lot of good people in Pakistan, but there were also a lot of them dancing in the streets after the 9/11 attacks. So a big Eff You welcome to our visitor from Pakistan, unless the visitor was one of the people dancing in the streets after 9/11, in which case it's just a big Eff You.

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