So how's that Sharia law working out for you so far?

Recently the embattled president of Pakistan, trying to appease his anti-American populace, his American partners, and his growing incursion of distaff Taliban, exiled eight years ago from Afghanistan, allowed the Taliban to impose their particular hard-core version of Sharia law (albeit with a few token modifications which it can be assumed are being roundly ignored by the Taliban....) in a Northwestern Province of Pakistan that was formerly revered as a tranquil and energetic holiday spot for both foreign and domestic vacationers. The Taliban, it was felt, would ease up if they were given a place to settle and call their own.

Which, of course, is idiotic.

The Taliban, a brutal and repressive regime which has destroyed priceless and, frankly marvellous works of art that were over a thousand years old, who have sought to peel back any advantages of Western civilization in favor of the warm, fuzzy life of cave-dwelling, enforced facial hair growth for men, enforced covering of heads for women, enforced... well... enforced just about everything, were expected to settle down, put their feet up and say "boy, we finally won. These Pakistani's are awfully nice. Let's not be mean to them anymore.".

Except they didn't do that. It's not in their nature. They don't have a point where they will feel they have been given enough leeway, they are not looking for just enough respect that they can stop their violence... They only accept one way... their way... of dong things, and that is through brutal oppression and subjugation.

Don't believe me? Think I'm all Right Wing Extreme? Then check out this CNN.com news report.

To be fair to the Pakistani leadership, their situation is not all that pleasant. The Taliban are in their own backyard, the citizenship is torn between not wanting violence, but not wanting to be helpful to the Americans, and the Americans are pressuring them constantly to do their part to stop the Taliban, who appear to have a military edge with inroads into the Pakistani military going all the way into their intelligence community.

This has hardly been a decisive moment in Pakistani history. Hard, yes... but that's what leadership is all about. Making the hard decisions and staying with them. If the Pakistanis had agreed to take on the Taliban at the border we could have caught them in a significant squeeze and all the Pakistani's would have to do is prevent them from having a backdoor to escape out of so we could tighten the noose.

That ship has now sailed... the Taliban HAVE escaped, and enjoy Pakistani protection, now officially sanctioned by deeding over the land and the people of the Swat Valley to the Taliban.

If only their had been SOME clue from history how appeasing ones enemies might play out?

What do you think Neville Chamberlain? Any ideas on THAT ONE?

I'm Dr. Calamity and I approve this message.