Extreme effrontery
PAKISTAN Embassy in Washington has protested against a highly derogatory cartoon appearing in the rag called The Washington Times that ridicules beyond imagination the country's role in the war on terror. Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires has rightly termed the cartoon (which shows a US soldier patting a dog that hold Abul Farraj Al Libbi and saying 'Good boy
now let's go to find bin Laden') as an insult to 150 million people of Pakistan.Americans are known for taking refuge behind the lame excuses to justify their arrogance. In this case too, they would, most probably absolve themselves of the responsibility by describing it an action by a section of the free Press. However, Press freedom doesn't mean a licence to carry out vile attacks against a nation, society, State or its leadership. Cartoons are meant to be taken in a lighter vein but the impression conveyed by this particular cartoon is unacceptable by any standard. Can Americans themselves endure this much insult? Every Pakistani is shocked at the outrageous act of The Washington Times, which would surely deepen the anti-American feelings in Pakistan. This offending attempt on the part of the newspaper sends shockingly wrong message to other countries especially those who consider themselves to be some sort of ally of the only superpower. Pakistan has been extending crucial cooperation to the United States in the war against terrorism and successes of Washington in Afghanistan owe much to this collaboration. Had it not been Pakistan's active cooperation, the Americans were destined to face humiliation in the treacherous mountains of Afghanistan. However, our policy-makers too have to be blamed for inviting such kind of insults. From the day one, for Americans, Pakistani cooperation in the war against terrorism is taken for granted. We have been urging our strategists not to show undue haste in accepting all sorts of demands put forward by the United States. The way we have been succumbing to every just or unjust demand has lowered our prestige and stature in the eyes of those who consider themselves as masters of the world. Pakistan needs to review its policy, as even official protest would prove to be a futile exercise.