Pakistan Condemns Violence

News that Pakistan has called for a jihad against extremism seems encouraging.

After a blitz of detentions of suspected militants and Islamists, Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf called for a holy war against preachers of hate and announced steps to curb militant Islamic schools and groups.

Musharraf spoke on Thursday in a televised address to the nation, which was awaited with keen anticipation both at home and in Britain after revelations of Pakistani links to the July 7 bomb attacks on London that killed at least 56 people.

"I urge you, my nation, to stand up and wage a jihad (holy war) against extremism and to stand up against those who spread hatred and chaos in the society," Musharraf said.

Seriously, I wish that they could just condemn somthing without always calling for "holy" war. After all, isn't it that kind of thinking that gets us into this mess in the first place? I suppose they have to describe things in ways that make sense to their people. Or maybe something is lost in translation?

Anyway, it seems a positive development. Maybe other Muslim nations will follow suit. I wonder which Arab nation will be the first to make such a declaration.