http://worldmeets.us/images/old-saints-church_peshawar.png

Sunday's suicide bombing of Peshawar's Old Saints Church was among

the worst terrorist attacks in Pakistan history, killing at least 85. Taliban

spokespeople say the attack was in retaliation for American drone strikes

against Muslims.

 

 

Unable to Strike U.S. Targets, Frustrated Taliban Murder Christians (Pakistan Tribune, Pakistan)

 

"The Taliban claim to be waging war on the United States for its policies toward the Muslim world. However, since being attacked by U.S. drones, the militants have few physical American targets to avenge themselves against. Frustrated by this, the militants have turned their guns on proxy targets, attacking mosques, religious gatherings, and worshiping congregations."

 

By Azhar Nadeem 

 

September 25, 2013

 

Pakistan - Pak Tribune - Original Article (English)

Christians in Pakistan march against intolerance, after one of the deadliest terrorist attack in Pakitan's history. The duel suicide bombings at Peshawar's 135-year-old Old Saints Church killed at least 85 people. Taliban claimed responsibility as retaliation for U.S. drone strikes.

AL JAZEERA NEWS VIDEO: Pakistan Christians protest church attack, victims recound attack, Sept. 24, 00:02:12 RealVideo

PESHAWAR: When it comes to the state's failure to live up to its constitutional duty to protect the life and property of its citizens, especially minorities, September 22, 2013 will be remembered as a black day in Pakistan's history. On the morning of this fateful day, two suicide bombers snuck into historic All Saints Church in Peshawar and detonated themselves. This proved to be one of deadliest attacks in the nation's history, as at least 85 worshippers lost their lives, with scores others critically injured. A police official at the church was also killed.

 

At the time of blast, worshippers were leaving for a free meal served on the church lawn. This killing of innocent Christians has drawn widespread condemnation, both locally and abroad. U.N. Secretary General Ban-Ki moon also condemned this unprovoked killing of peaceful worshippers.

 

On Monday, Pakistan's Christian community continued to mourn and protest across the country. In every city and town in Pakistan, they took to the streets to express their sense of insecurity and discrimination in a society being radicalized at an alarming speed.

 

The Jund-al-Hafsa (Army of Hafsa R.A.), a wing of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, was quick to claim responsibility for the attack. A spokesperson vowed to continue targeting non-Muslims in revenge for Muslims killed in U.S. drone operations in Pakistan's tribal region.

 

On the same day, a drone strike killed seven alleged militants in North Waziristan Agency. Finding a cause and effect relationship between drone operations and terrorist activity is easy. One reinforces the other when it comes to destabilizing Pakistan. The United States maintains that the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan are sanctuaries for Taliban militants, and that drone operations are highly effective for curbing militancy. On the other hand, Pakistan has always maintained that drones strikes are counterproductive and a source of increased militancy and internal threats.

Posted By Worldmeets.US

 

Over the past nine years, drone strikes have shown very limited success. The  number of top al-Qaeda militants eliminated through drone strikes is extremely small. Apart from killing a handful of militants, drone strikes have killed a large number of women and children.

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The Taliban claim to be waging war on the United States for its policies toward the Muslim world. However, since being attacked by U.S. drones, the militants have few physical American targets to avenge themselves against. The drones strike them from thousands of feet in the air. Meanwhile, the United States is physically thousands of miles away.

 

Frustrated by this, the militants have turned their guns on proxy targets, attacking mosques, religious gatherings, worshiping congregations and government and military installations, only to sow fear within society. Attacks on government and military installations are justified with charges they are part of America's proxy war, but there is no logic to killing innocent Pakistanis, whatever their religious beliefs.

 

So while this latest bombing of Peshawar's All Saints Church is considered an attack on a proxy target, it is wholly unjustified - even if a majority of people in United States practice Christianity and the Taliban are at war with the United States. Christians living in Pakistan are largely peaceful citizens who are often deprived of their constitutional rights.

 

Sunday’s bombing has once again raises serious questions about Islamabad's capacity to curb militancy and protect the lives and property of innocent Pakistanis, especially minorities.

 

SEE ALSO ON THIS:

Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany: America's Drone War: 'Without Legal Basis'

Kayhan, Iran: American RQ-170 Drone Data 'Thoroughly Decoded'

FARS News, Iran: Iran Reveals Captured U.S. Drone Data to ‘Discourage’ Pentagon

El Tiempo, Colombia: Colombia Government Must Come Clean on Battle Drones

Al Wahdawi, Yemen: Yemen Must Defeat al-Qaeda with Less Help from U.S. Drones
Estadao, Brazil: Obama's Drones: Wrong Conclusions from bin Laden's Demise
The Frontier Post, Pakistan: Obama's Drone War a PR Disaster for America

The Nation, Pakistan: Drones Strikes: Unequal, Unethical and Unwise

Le Figaro, France: Pakistan Has its Reasons for Acting Like a 'Double Dealer'

FARS News, Iran: Revolutionary Guards Display Downed American Drone
La Jornada, Mexico:
Senators and U.S. Drones: What Else are They Hiding?
The Nation, Pakistan: Downing American Drones: Iran Shows Pakistan the Way
Der Spiegel, Germany: Obama's Plan Reignites German Withdrawal Debate
Asia Times, Hong Kong: Obama 'Puts the Heat' on Pakistan
Telegraph, U.K.: Osama bin Laden hiding place visited by Taliban
Global Times, China: Western Criticism of Pakistan is Wrongheaded and Unfair
La Jornada, Mexico: Afghan Official Asserts: 'Osama Blew Himself Up'
Tehran Times, Iraq: West Uses bin Laden's Death to Distract from Bahrain Atrocities
Diario Decuyo, Argentina: Bin Laden's Death is a 'Call to Arms' for the World's Clergy
El Pais, Spain: After bin Laden: West Must Reflect on Methods of Self-Defense
News, Switzerland: The Pope and the Terrorist: Two Misguided Beatifications
Tagesspiegel, Germany: Osama Photo Issue - Obama's Morally Superior to Bush
The Nation, Pakistan: Afghan Official Asserts: 'Osama Blew Himself Up'
Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland: Finally, It's Beginning of the End for al-Qaeda
Al-Seyassah, Kuwait: Osama Now Being Licked by the 'Hottest Flames in Hell'
Les Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace, France: Osama's Photo: 'The Impossible Truth'
Der Spiegel, Germany: Donald Trump and the 2012 'Campaign of Lunacy'
Excelsior, Mexico: Obama Quiets 'Right-Wing Witch Hunters' ... for Now
Izvestia, Russia: Osama bin Laden: From Abbottabad to Hollywood
Frontier Post, Pakistan: U.S. Raid Exposes Pakistan's 'Unnerving Vulnerability'
Al-Madina, Saudi Arabia: Osama Died, But those Who Gain from Terror War Live
Dar al-Hayat, Saudi Arabia: Osama and His Whole Way of Thinking - are Dead
Daily Jang, Pakistan: Operation Against Osama Spells Trouble for Pakistan
Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran: Obama Seeks to 'Vindicate Bush'
Outlook Afghanistan: U.S. Must Pursue Mullah Omar as it did bin Laden
Pak Tribune, Pakistan: Senators Call U.S. Operation a Breach of Sovereignty
Frontier Post, Pakistan: Osama Episode Puts Safety of Nuke Assets in Peril

The Nation, Pakistan: Pakistanis will React Badly to Reopening NATO Routes

Le Monde, France: Pakistan and America: Preparing for a Timely ‘Divorce’

Frontier Post, Pakistan: Whistleblower Unravels America’s Afghan ‘Hoax’
FARS News, Iran: Revolutionary Guards Display Downed American Drone
La Jornada, Mexico:
Senators and U.S. Drones: What Else are They Hiding?
The Nation, Pakistan: Downing American Drones: Iran Shows Pakistan the Way
The Nation, Pakistan: Time for Pakistan to Down America's 'Bionic Dragons'
The Nation, Pakistan:
Cost of Friendship with America is Far Too High
The Nation, Pakistan:
'Sorry' Won't Wash Away NATO Crimes in Pakistan
The Daily Jang, Pakistan: Is Washington Behind Pakistan's 'Memogate'?
The Frontier Post, Pakistan: U.S. Withdrawal Plans 'Spell Doom' for Pakistan

 

 

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Posted By Worldmeets.US Sept. 25, 2013, 5:09am