"The compulsion to do good is an innate North American trait. Only North Americans seem to believe that they always, may, and actually can choose somebody whom to share their blessings. Ultimately this attitude leads to bombing people into the acceptance of gifts". - Ivan Illich

A wonderful stance for their Government to take that prooves that Pakistan wants to move foward by educating their children.... Now $2 a month isn't much but it is an icentive to get their children out into the modern world which is exactly what they need to do....

America needs to dive in and and let the Pakistani Government deal with the Taliban and its factions instead of gaining enemies.... The avatar shown here in my profile pic, is from a search that I did on images of Pakistani drone attacks.... The child sits here crying next to a blown up vehicle blood spattered and wounded.... This @!$%# needs to stop today and we need to start by educating and starting a whole new class of people, and 30 years from now the Middle Eastern People will exceed our expectations.... And those whom don't and exist only to kill, Pakisani People will know how to deal with it and not use weapons in their actions....

All across the Muslim Nations i'm hearing that 93% of Muslim People want peace.... Truth is that Muslims and Christians have been at war for more than a thousand years and millions have died in these wars.... I find it funny that because someone (who speaks another language) calls god Allah and not by our given name that everyone is so damn quick to condemn then.... War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political communities, and therefore is defined as a form of political violence.... War is thus an act of force to compel our enemy to do our will.... While some scholars see warfare as an inescapable and integral aspect of human culture, others argue that it is only inevitable under certain socio-cultural or ecological circumstances. Some scholars argue that the practice of war is not linked to any single type of political organization or society....

All in all men do things to men and god has nothing to do with it....

warthhog: Some have been closely watching what have been going on in Pakistan since 47.

Comments like yours giving excuses and false hopes were the common tricks. But things have only gone from bad to worse.

At least, 60 percent or more hate the US and West.

We know that for taking economic aid and other types of helps, Muslims in general and Pakis in particular, use all kinds of dramas.

You are talking drone attacks.

What about the suicide bombings in which many Pakis were involved in 9/11, London tube bombings and other places? Some can only see one side of pictures and not all pictures.

Drone attacks in Pakistan are not enough for the backstabbings Pakis have been doing in Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, Pakis have backstabbed the US and NATO forces big time. Half of NATO forces deaths are due to ungrateful and backstabbing Pakis.

When the NATO forces were entering Kandahar in 2001, Pakis airlifted key al-Qaida, Taliban, ISI and others militants by back door from Kandahar.

This includes Mullah Omar, Osama and many including Paki Haqqani militant network leaders.

Hope people remember about Pakis sheltering Osama.

These Paki Islamic religious Nazis don't bother about their people and they are into reckless killing games in the name of jihad.

Drone attacks are not enough. To reduce NATO forces losses, carpet bomb Paki militant areas just like 1991 Iraqi war.

Many Muslims imagine that they are too smart and they can go on fooling as they like. We are watching these in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Syria, Iran and other places too.

All across the Muslim Nations i'm hearing that 93% of Muslim People want peace....

That would be good news but where do these stats come from, who compiled them and how, were all islamic nations polled??? What are the 93% doing to promote peace and stop the 7% from warring??? Links???

Truth is that Muslims and Christians have been at war for more than a thousand years and millions have died in these wars....

Islam began in 622. The Ottomans in 1299. They were at war with all who did not submit. Still are. Here's one example in Pakistan. Imagine that.

http://www.hazara.net/persecution/pak-persecution.html

Here's another.

http://middleeast.about.com/od/afghanista1/a/me080910.htm

I find it funny that because someone (who speaks another language) calls god Allah and not by our given name that everyone is so damn quick to condemn then....

It's a whole lot more than just a language translation.

http://kpr37.newsvine.com/_news/2012/02/10/10371529-suspicious-minds-in-search-of-al-lah-the-islamic-rock-star?chromedomain=worldnews

War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political communities, and therefore is defined as a form of political violence.... War is thus an act of force to compel our enemy to do our will....

Do our will??? And what about their will???

"The Taliban have said they will attack any woman who stands against them."

Until the rest of the Muslim world stands up and does something against groups such as the Taliban and other extremist organizations like them, those groups will always remain the voice of Islam the rest of the world hears.

Though their bid to kill Malala failed, the Taliban have said they will attack any woman who stands against them and fears are so great that Khalid said even speaking to the media could put students' lives in danger.

What are they afraid of? Women might actually learn enough to stand up for themselves and stop being side lined by their muslim men?

GIRL POWER!!!!

Ironic that Barry says he is all for women's rights, yet 2 weeks before Mother's day, he threw ALL women under the bus when he said 2 men can take the place of a mother!

SORRY BARRY, NO MAN CAN TAKE THE PLACE OF MY MOTHER!!!!

Of course, his own mother abandoned him, as well as his father! Perhaps the root of his problems!

Fed - where the heck do you get your 'information'? Your assertions are entirely way-out-there

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktliUuaThfg

Obama Endorses Gay Marriage
Published on May 9, 2012 by AssociatedPress

http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-My-Father-Story-Inheritance/dp/1400082773

You have read the book right??

out there? Im only quoting him, so are you saying HE is out there?

Americans in Pakistan (Urdu: امریکی ) form a small expatriate community. According to early statistics of 1999 based on registrations with the local American embassy and consulates, there are between 4,000 and 5,000 Americans in the country.

Johnathan.... When you have numbers like this vs 180 million Pakistani People in this country percentages will be high.... Common sense is common sense....

Still hung up on the whole "Gay thing" huh Fed? What are you going to do when it is recognized in 99% of states except the deepest, reddest hell-holes like Mississippi? Get with the times, religion is becoming less and less authoritative over how people live their lives, as it should. It is becoming what it was meant to be, a personal institution for each individual to live by those teachings they find more convenient to themselves.

This is part of the reason that Republicans lost big this week. America wants more freedom for everyone not less. Republicans this election cycle were all about removing liberties and freedoms from some based on religious dogma. They were about expanding Government into areas it was never designed to be expanded into. They wanted to turn us as close as they could into a theocracy without actually doing so. The people "shut that whole thing down" and now Republicans need to realize they either Moderate or become as irrelevant as the Whig party became back in the day. Only difference will be it will not be absorbed, it will just cease to exist.

But go ahead, stay on the wrong side of history just like those that were against Civil Rights, just like those that were against Women's Rights, just like those that were against Inter-racial Marriage, and just like those that were against Immigrant Rights. All of those groups faded into obscurity and are not well regarded by the anneals of history.

Im not hung up on the gay thing, Im PRO WOMEN! Unlike the DNC!

You can live your life any way you choose....but according to YOU, I cant!

Funny how those who preach TOLERANCE are so INTOLERANT!

Fed, what exactly do you think the DNC is preventing you from doing? I must not have gotten that memo.

I'll wager that Neanderthals treated their women better than Muslims do today

This kid has more gumption than most adults I know. GOOD FOR HER AND SCREW the taliban. (small letters intentional) It's really a shame that supposedly peaceful mainstream Islam absolutely refuses to rise up and soundly smite these ba$tards. All they do is talk. If Islam really wants the rest of the world, especially America, to see them in a different light, then they have to understand that actions speak louder than words!!!!! Until they do that, I say pi$$ on them all! If a member of my family was running around hurting and or killing people for no good reason, I would do whatever was necessary to stop it. Screw you, Islam.

"Less than 0.57 percent of Pakistan's 180 million citizens pay income tax" It's a GOP utopia! Airline tickets on sale now!

Around 7 percent of the people of this region have even heard about 9/11.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2035160/Most-Afghans-know-9-11-according-disturbing-poll.html

um, don't you mean DNC? You don't pay income taxes if you have no income!

The GOP works to support the DNC!

Fed,

You think supporting gay marriage somehow degrades women? I guess that's because you think that means that gay men could be stealing women's jobs. The real jobs they are supposed to have of raising kids! I suppose that is how your mind thinks. Keep women at home raising kids like God intended. To suggest that men could do that is an insult to women right?

I suppose in a male gay marriage, they would be taking more work away from women by performing "wifely duties" in the bedroom, depriving women again of a job God intended for them.

Well, I do believe that the formal government of Pakistan would like to become a more modern culture and get rid of the radical Muslim extremists. I suppose a couple bucks a month is an incentive to send their daughters to school. I guess it's a start. It would be nice too if the school they went to aren't Madrassas.

If they wanted to change things faster, instead of giving people a couple bucks to send their kids to school, put a $100 bounty on Taliban ears attached to a skull! If they don't fight these idiots with the same level of zeal that the Taliban use to force their way on the people, they will never win. Crack down on these scum and maybe they will come to their senses. If not, so be it, eliminate them from the society. Any religion that uses violence to enforce their religious beliefs, is no religion. They are just thugs and criminals and need to be treated as such. The Taliban is the biggest threat to these people ever becoming anything. If they don't get serious about dealing harshly with these extremists, they are done. Women can be the key to this change. Bhutto was making some good progress in Pakistan and they killed her. Start rewarding these women for taking action. Maybe a bounty on some other body parts could be useful too. Get these guys so afraid of the women that they will fear going to sleep only to wake up in "surgery". If Pakistan wants this to stop, they will need to address the violence with violence. They can not continue to let these animals use religion as an excuse. Create the necessary laws and then use them, ruthlessly.

Capn curtass said:

It's really a shame that supposedly peaceful mainstream Islam absolutely refuses to rise up and soundly smite these ba$tards. All they do is talk. If Islam really wants the rest of the world, especially America, to see them in a different light, then they have to understand that actions speak louder than words!!!!!

In case you hadn't noticed, yes, they are rising up against the extremists.

In Pakistan, 50 Pakistani clerics got to gether and issued a fatwa against the assassins who tried to kill Malala. They've put in place all the initiatives discussed in the article. They're constructing an IT college in the capital, named it after her, and opened it to everyone who wants to study, male or female.

In Libya, a week after the death of Ambassador Stevens and the other three members of his diplopmatic party, the ordinary people of Benghazi, shocked and outraged over this assault and resulting death of a man who they all liked and respected, rose up, stormed the compound in which the militants were hiding, and drove them out of the city. Thirty of the citizens dioed doing it, but they did it...an the Libyan military took no action to protect the militants or stop the uprising.

In Somalia, a coalition of military forces from various African countries stormed a beachfront fort where a splinter group odf Al-Quaeda was hiding. In what is now known as 'Al-Quaeda's D-Day' that group was driven out of Somalia, losing this stronghold they've held for years. They've made it abundantly clear that they don't want fundamentalists in their midst.

In the Summer Olympics this year, for the first time every country represented had both male and female competitors. Previous to this summer, only one country had not allowed a woman to compete even if she qualified per the rules of the IOC: Afghanistan. It can't have escaped your notice that this year an Afghani woman marched in the opening ceremonies and competed for her country, and she did not do it in a burqa--she wore a headscarf out of choice.

Change is coming slowly, but it is coming.

I'm with warthog on this one;

we need to start by educating and starting a whole new class of people, and 30 years from now the Middle Eastern People will exceed our expectations

And I too, firmly believe that within the next twenty to thirty years, we are going to see the end of bloodshed, intolerance and hatred in the Middle East.

Oh, and warthog, I'm with you on this one as well:

men do things to men and god has nothing to do with it....

My belief system says 'It's what you do that matters, not whose Name you do it in.'

Malala's own actions have made wider ripples in the global pond than the actions of the Taliban, who are becoming less and less of a relevancy in the Middle East as views like hers become more popular than views like theirs. And it all stems from education and literacy--by educating and teaching people to read their Qu'ran for themselves instead of just trusting their Imam to tell them what it says, many people are now finding that much of what they were told was in there...isn't. There's nothing in the Qu'ran that says a woman can't be educated, there's nothing in there about seventy-two virgins, and there's nothing in there that says they have to wear a burqa--in fact the Qu'ran says that it is acceptable for someone to view a woman's face and hands.

Warthog said:

I find it funny that because someone (who speaks another language) calls god Allah and not by our given name that everyone is so damn quick to condemn then....

chefaz said:

It's a whole lot more than just a language translation.

http://kpr37.newsvine.com/_news/2012/02/10/10371529-suspicious-minds-in-search-of-al-lah-the-islamic-rock-star?chromedomain=worldnews

Kpr and I had a rather intense discussion about this a couple of weeks back. Muslims do not worship the black stone in the wall of the Kaaba--a Muslim friend of mine pointed me in the direction of this passage:

Islam strictly prohibits idolatry. Muslims believe that the Stone's role in hajj is simply representative and symbolic in nature, not related to belief in the stone itself as having any special power. A hadith records that, when the second Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (580-644) came to kiss the Stone, he said in front of all assembled: "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither harm anyone nor benefit anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Messenger [Muhammad] kissing you, I would not have kissed you."Most Muslims follow the example of Umar: they pay their respects to the Stone in a spirit of trust in Muhammad, not with any inherent belief in the Stone.

The God of the Torah, Bible, and Qu'ran is the same God; the differences lie mainly in practice. Jews do not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. Christians do. Muslims do too:

‘Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet, the Immaculate One, whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel which are with them. He enjoins on them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful for them the good things and forbids them the bad, and removes from them their burden and the shackles that were among them. So those who shall believe in him, and honor and support him, and help him, and follow the light that has been sent down with him—these shall prosper.’ (Qu’ran 7:158)

What they reject is the idea of a Holy Trinity, hence their chant that there is no God but the One God.

Indeed they are disbelievers who say “Surely Allah is none but the Messiah, son of Mary, whereas the Messiah himself said ‘O children of Israel, worship Allah Who is my Lord and your Lord.’ Surely whoso associates partners with Allah, him has Allah forbidden Heaven, and the Fire will be his resort. And the wrongdoers shall have no helpers. (Qu’ran 5:73)

And there are sects of Christianity who do not accept the concept of the Holy Trinity either--they are called Non-Trinitarian Christians. These denominations include Christadelphians, Christian Scientists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Dawn Bible Students, Friends General Conference, Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's Witnesses, La Luz del Mundo, Living Church of God, Oneness Pentecostals, Members Church of God International, Unitarian Universalist Christians and the United Church of God.

Abraham, Moses, Lot, Noah, many other Old Testament figures appear in the Qu'ran, as does Jesus, Joseph, Mary. Mary's conception of Jesus as the will of God appears in its entirety (multiple times, this is the shortest one I could find:):

When the angels said, ‘O Mary, Allah gives thee glad tidings of a word from Him; his name shall be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, honored in this world and the next, and of those who are granted nearness to God, (Qu’ran, 3:46)

‘And he shall speak to the people in the cradle and when of middle age, and he shall be of the righteous.’ (Qu’ran, 3:47)

She said ‘My Lord, how shall I have a son when no man has touched me?’ He said “Such is the way of Allah, He creates what He pleases. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is. (Qu’ran 3:48)

‘And He will teach him the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; (Qu’ran 3:49

‘And will make him a Messenger to the children of Israel (to say): ‘I come to you with a Sign from your Lord, which is that I will fashion out for you a creation of clay after the manner of a bird, then I will breathe into it a new spirit and it will become a soaring being by the command of Allah; and I will heal the night-blind and leprous, and I will quicken the dead, by the command of Allah, and I will announce to you what you will eat and what you will store up in your houses. Surely, therein is a Sign for you, if you be believers. (Qu’ran 3:50)

“And I come fulfilling that which is is before me, namely the Torah; and to allow you some of that which was forbidden you; and I come to you with a Sign from your Lord: so fear Allah and obey me.’ (Qu’ran 3:51)

And the Church itself acknowledges that Muslims worship the same God that the Christians do:

DECLARATION ON THE RELATION OF THE CHURCH TO NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS
NOSTRA AETATE
PROCLAIMED BY HIS HOLINESS POPE PAUL VI
ON OCTOBER 28, 1965

The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men.

3. The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.

Fed,

but according to YOU, I cant!

How so?

I'm not the biggest fan of Islam, but I would be dissapointed to see the tribal culture of the Pashtuns subplanted by another - at least if that other culture is of the Western variety.

I don't see much worth looking up to in our own culture. I'd feel sorry for any group of people that would have this way of life imposed on it.

warthog: "there are between 4,000 and 5,000 Americans in the country." (1999)

These days not many will be left.

Many Pakis have dual citizenship of Britain, US, European nations and Pakistan.

The biggest backstabbing and ungrateful Gen Mush is hiding in London and his son is in the US.

About Paki population of being 180 million, it does not matter much.

In Syria, are outsiders (US and allies) killing each other?

The moment Sunni Saudi bigoted barbarian and beastly puppets want a change and are not able to make the changes, Sunni Saudi seventh century desert beasts start their dances along with oil companies, Jewish extremists, Christian right and their lobbyists start their seventh century dances along with them.

Examine how Bill Clinton and co danced in former Yugoslavia, Bushes in Iraq and these days Hillarys, McCains, Romneys, Liebermann on Syria and Iran.

Even Turkey's seventh century Islamic Erdogan and his Islamic party are doing seventh century desert dances on Syria.

They are already keeping count of "girls, children and women" killed, "human rights" violations, "WMDs with missiles", "chemical weapons" on their own in Syria and Iran!

If we keep away in Syria, Iran and Pakistan, just watch how the numbers will be brought down!

Amanda, you're right. Change is coming slowly. Years ago, I took a good look at Islam and the main thing I noticed is that it seems to be going through the same evolutionary processes that Christianity has gone through. Christianity had its own very ugly period and eventually grew out of it. There is hope that maybe the Human race will survive itself.

rlm2112 .... agree somewhat (1 vote for substance) but isolationism is a big no-no. It IS good that the UK stepped up to the plate for Malala... I don't think a country... (any country) can help others without taking care of it's people but it should not stop a kindness even if it is for political gain.

Now... that part of your post of the health care is a country centric problem that (unfortunately) will be the US problem as Obama-care kicks in. It is based on a European model... your post on that part will not get the attention it deserves.

' in the UK we have people on the NHS that can not get cancer drug treatment '

How's that socialism thing workin' out for ya? I lived in the UK for two years, and saw up close and personal how the NHS works. It's most certainly not the unicorns, rainbows, and free candy for everyone that Michael Moore portrays.

Many US citizens agree with you. In this country foreigners just have to drop a baby from the womb & they're set for government handouts. People who have worked all their lives & unable to work til 65 & 72 have to fight for a benefit they paid into all their working lives. Now with Obama-care well my medications have double in cost. Anyone who complains is branded racist.

As for the girl for PR, I believe you are right. Pakistan doesn't want to loose the millions they collect form the US. What about all the other children being injured by terrorists & the present administration's drone attacks in Pakistan.

It is time for America to stop sending our tax money to support enemy governments which use it to support their militaries & gather weapons to use against us.

Did you even read the entire article?

James West, poor, uneducated people do not understand birth control or have access to such. It's so easy to sit in our comfort in this country and Monday morning quarterback.

You are right!

Mostly Pakis don't understand realities and listen to sane people.

All over the world, most of the Muslim mullahs ask their followers to have as many kids as possible.

Pakis and some Muslims in highly Islamic heroin addict areas are the worst.

Mullahs' excuse: "Allah will take care of the kids."

When it comes to the freeloaders (it was similar during earth quakes/floods last time) asking/begging/weeping and telling stories, all these "poor", "helpless" and so on come in the picture!

Oh so you lived there then Johnathan so this how you personally know all this info on daily life in Pakistan....

Just wondering....

Many, many churches encourage their members to have as many children as possible, including the Catholics. When's the last time you saw a small Mormon family?

warthog: You don't have to live in a place. If you mix closely with Pakis and study deeply, one can know all details.

In the case of Pakis, even the assumption: all humans are same and most are good, fails miserably!

Pakistanis use child labor. One of the reasons poor children (almost all girls) do not go to school is that they are sent to work in factories at the age of seven or eight. Often the products they assemble end up in the US, be it clothing or toys or utensils. These factories are corporations most often owned by rich Americans who take advantage of the desperate poverty in third world nations to enslave children for their own financial gain.

Gary Gnu'z.... (cool moniker) One person can make a lot of difference..... Jesus, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, and Malala... It is a gift that lies within all of us to not just change ourselves but to change the world for the better... (can't evolve that).... Malala's Father now is a marked man but support his daughter and Pakistan's move to (redirect) funding is a positive step....

I do think that Pakistan has a LONG way to go but the Nobel Piece prize nomination (She deserves it) and support from the international community is vital or this story will just go away.

What really upsets me is why Obama, with all of his globalization nonsense hasn't addressed this as a President (if I'm wrong, please post the link). I've heard on NPR, AFR and only a "smidgen" of it on the national news. Also I did not appreciate the article leaving out how much the US is sending in aid... they didn't even mention that we send aid... (what is up with that NBC?).

God bless Malala and her family and I pray that this is start of something lasting and she does not become a political football.

There is no shortage of people in the US that don't even believe in free public education for their own country!

Jonathan-1982062

Reap what you sow!

warthog: Due to high dosage of Islamic addiction, Pakis are having a bumper harvest.

But for the US and allies help, Pakis would have killed each other by now in good numbers instead of exporting their brand of Islamic radicalism and terrorism all over the world.

Many Pakis are in crutches!

Baldy,

I wish you could find something nice to say! Those people are taking a huge step toward equal rights for females! A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step! Just becuase the first step looks stupid to you, does not mean it is not important. Again, look for the good points in everything first.

Saying something "nice" about this is not the solution. "Nice" has nothing to do with Islam. Baldman might be a little too direct for you, GFNC, but he's right. Paying people to do what they should do without payment is no solution.

Baldman and Pray Hard--Baldman's suggestions would certainly be appropriate at the right time. But the reality of Pakistan is that it has the kind of grinding poverty that brings acts of desperation to those stuck in it. Better to supplement the family with 2 dollars a month and have the children go to school than to have those children working in slave labor conditions just so that the family can eat. Once the children grow up educated they will be able to better fend for themselves, and can be a part of bringing their country into the 21st century. Guy from NJ is correct when he says that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

I'd wager a tribal woman is more independent, more resourceful, and more brave than the average American woamn. Granted, she might not be able to read James Joyce (God what an inhumane punishment!), but maybe not everyone on earth values the same things you do...

Malala is a Muslim too.

Agreed.

Pakistan came about due to the unfortunate decree of 1947 in an attempt to create peace in two areas belonging to India. It was never a nation at any other time in history. Indians suffered before the partition, suffered because of the partition and minorities within Pakistan continue to suffer. Sad and shameful.

It's their prize; they can give it to anyone they want to.

you made some very good points, but yes, this young lady deserves the nobel peace prize, if anyone anywhere and time ever did.

They didn't quote any studebts at her school, and they only quoted people with the courage to speak out. I understand your concern, but some are not willing to stay silent.

Besides, I kind of doubt the Taliban reads NBC.

i thought the exact same thing about putting the names right out there for the taliban to target those other children.