If, today, a child gets polio, it is likely the virus is from Pakistan.
Why Pakistan? The global campaign to eradicate polio is foundering there. After Pakistanis came to believe that the CIA used the cover of a vaccination team to find out Osama Bin Laden's whereabouts, vaccination teams have been the target of violence.
One might say, well, in this case, the end justified the means. But that is being myopic. Historically, English-speaking empires have never hesitated in aiding and abetting illiberal Islamic forces to further their own ends. That goes even to the other "root cause" of why children may still get polio - the existence of Pakistan. And every "end justifies the means" that violates good principles has resulted in further problems.
Bad actions have corresponding consequences - but they appear to affect others than those who committed those actions, which seems like a travesty. Which points to another fact which we ignore too often - we are united in our humanity. This will hurt all of us, one way or the other.
PS: Obama recently declined to do in Syria what would amount to supporting Islamic extremists; it went against the historical grain, and the angst it caused in America's neo-imperialistscons was evident.
Why Pakistan? The global campaign to eradicate polio is foundering there. After Pakistanis came to believe that the CIA used the cover of a vaccination team to find out Osama Bin Laden's whereabouts, vaccination teams have been the target of violence.
....The latest casualty was a police constable killed Tuesday protecting a team of vaccination workers in northwest Pakistan. During a two-day vaccination campaign in Peshawar earlier this month, 5,000 police were deployed to protect health workers,....But how did the phenomemon of Osama Bin Laden come about in the first place? That is a long story. Ostensibly it began with Carter and Brezezinski, and continued with Reagan, and America's Saudi allies and so on, funding and arming Islamic fundamentalists, with the goal of bleeding the Soviet Union. And it continues from there.
One might say, well, in this case, the end justified the means. But that is being myopic. Historically, English-speaking empires have never hesitated in aiding and abetting illiberal Islamic forces to further their own ends. That goes even to the other "root cause" of why children may still get polio - the existence of Pakistan. And every "end justifies the means" that violates good principles has resulted in further problems.
Bad actions have corresponding consequences - but they appear to affect others than those who committed those actions, which seems like a travesty. Which points to another fact which we ignore too often - we are united in our humanity. This will hurt all of us, one way or the other.
PS: Obama recently declined to do in Syria what would amount to supporting Islamic extremists; it went against the historical grain, and the angst it caused in America's neo-
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