"most dangerous country on earth"

[gauguin57]

Tonight's "Nightline" sounds like a winner. Here's a copy of the today's "preview" e-mail:

Nightline Daily E-Mail
October 16, 2003

TONIGHT'S SUBJECT: Pakistan is a key ally of the U.S. in the war on terror. But it is also terrorism's capitol — and a place where terrorists are cultivated. Take a tour of Pakistan tonight — a nuclear power rife with violence, corruption and religious extremism. Some call it the most dangerous place on earth.

Several months ago President Bush coined the phrase 'axis of evil' and listed its members: Iraq, Iran and North Korea. Each is (or was) a powerful, militarily threatening country. North Korea has nuclear weapons. Iran is a haven for terrorists. And Iraq, well, that's another subject for another night.

The country that didn't make that list, but that also has nuclear weapons, and is a haven for terrorists, is Pakistan. Osama bin Laden is thought to be in hiding in a lawless mountain range there. Anti-American rage underlies the Islamist political climate in much of the country. After a description like that, does it surprise you to know that Pakistan is a key ally of the U.S. in the war on terror?

Nightline correspondent David Marash and a team of Nightline producers recently returned from Pakistan. They visited several cities, a tour of the broad range of Pakistani political opinion and economic hardship.

We hope you'll let Dave Marash and Nightline be your tour guide tonight of this complicated, often contradictory land.

-- Sara Just and the Nightline Staff

[goddess40]

1. I vote for the US

The way this country is going we pose the biggest threat to the rest of the world.

[Faygo Kid]

2. Agreed, under GWB

Tragic.

[soleft]

3. I saw Daniel Pearl's widows's book in bookstore window

felt like crying.

[eleny]

4. This is a strong counterpoint to...

the administration's assertion that Iraq is the bellybutton center of the terrorist universe.

[AliceWonderland]

5. Good heavens

Osama is hiding in "a lawless mountain range" there PLUS there's anti-American rage!

That this passes for "news" says a great deal. I bet the segment will have great shots of poor people and crazy brown extremists, not to mention scary looming lawless mountains. It's "terrorism's capitol," after all.

By all means, we should analyze the situation in South Asia, but this is about as helpful as an episode of Sesame Street. Except Sesame Street would teach you more about human relations and has cute fluffy puppets.