For personal reasons, Pakistan is a special country for me. Pakistani people have also been some of the nicest and most respectful people that I have encountered from that region. They are always included in my prayers. Though I am Christian.

Peace is one of those conundrums, those that desire it the most will have at times the least. I believe in peace first, but one needs more understanding of when it is not possible to attain it. Terrorism falls into that category, because it is about establishing a tyranny. I resent terrorists and their proponents being called Islamists. To me that is the cloak (a good cause) that they wrap around their practices of terrorism. I gave up any notion of the holy war when I realized that it is the Muslims themselves that are by far, the largest victims. In my opinion, no nation can afford to either try to peacefully exist or placate these people. To them peace is more of a tactic to allow them to rearm and come back stronger. I believe that even if fighting or military action is necessary, then a country has a right to dictate that terroristic methods is not acceptable and any people that harbor them will be not be considered in any action against them.

With Pakistan, the terrorists have a foot hold in the tribal areas. These areas are considered semi-autonomous and being a more feudal system, the terrorists come in and help those leaders boost their power and influence in exchange for a platform.

In some respects, the current President has fought them, but in others he has offered olive branches, such as control of some areas or being able to practice their more stringent beliefs, such as dictating to and beating women for offenses. But Pakistan doesn't have more peace from these people, they have less. To me, it is an all or nothing situation and I feel that every decent Pakistani must fight for their country to rid them of these people for their own freedoms and existence.

My view of handling terrorism, change with a personal war that I was pulled in. You could say the I was a county and had terrorism in my midst. This was a family affair caused by one bad egg, how needed time to grow. The authorities were involved and ironically in placating the bad egg, mentioned what I could not do. This led to my life becoming a total hell, with any authority I could levy being removed and those that were causing the problems, not only reveled in it, they became that much more bold and empowered. My wife was like Pakistan and to try to garner a lost love, turned me into an enemy as well, hoping that it would make things right. But I was needed as I was the only moderating force in the situation. Terrorism and tyranny whether by a individual to an individual, or a large group to a county can not be permitted to thrive. Police, family, neighbors were all forces who had their ideas and limitations. The bad people did not and in reality, it was one police officer that recognized the problem and we discussed, even though it might bring trouble to me, like jail, there really wasn't a police decision. The bad side declared war on me from the start and I did everything that I could think to avoid the situation or "mediate, it. Guess what, it only emboldened the bad guys and it became mortally worse. Hell, what they did to my life no longer made jail fearful to me and I openly declared war and had they did what they said, one or a few would be dead. I believe that the authorities got the message and left me alone. You know what, they realized that I was serious, labeled me crazy but they were the ones that not only retreated, they left me and my family alone. At a possible cost to my own life, I stood up!.

09/08/09 Since I wrote this poem, Pakistan has had constistant action againt the terrorists. I believe that that many have migrated back into Afganistan and it will take both countries with an agreement about sharing the border to erradicate the problem of terrorism. All in this fight deserves the aid and support of the free world. This is also fostered that no country or peoples can afford terrorism any quarter.

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