Reply #119: are you suggesting militarily conquering and ruling by force Pakistan and its 173 million people?

[Douglas Carpenter]

Nothing serves as a better promoter and recruiter for extremism and nothing undermines enlightened ideals more than draconian western military power invading this or any other region.

Until the late 70's most, in fact almost all resistance movements throughout the whole Islamic world were secularist and/or nationalist and/or leftist.

This sea change did not happen in a vacuum.

The saner way takes time, but it involves trade, development and creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.

As long as liberal democracy and enlightened western attitudes are associated with invading armies, stray missiles and bomb falling on villages, towns and families, and outside forces dominating their economies and their countries - enlightened western attitudes and liberal democracy will not get anywhere.

Nothing set back emancipations of women in Pakistan and Afghanistan more than first the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan followed by the American response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It does not appear that the more recent American military intrusion into Afghanistan and Pakistan are faring any better as the liberator of women and the propagator of enlightened of ideas.