to believe Pakistan is a failed state which harbours terrorists

[longfingernails]

and Britain should leave it well alone?

We certainly shouldn't give hundreds of millions of aid money to this basket case of a country, which gave Osama bin Laden shelter in the very heart of its military centre.

And no, we don't need even more racist politicians.

I saw a news programme that told how a six year old girl had frozen to death because her family were living under a plastic sheet after the terrible floods, the aid money that was meant to help them and countless others was sat there doing nothing while the people who are meant to lead argued over who should get what, to my mind the money I and many others donated should have prevented that child's death, sadly like so many other country's it is lead by despot, thieves, so corrupt that they could seek shade in the shadow of a corkscrew.

I will never donate money to Pakistan or the likes again,

nilbymaaf, it isn't racist at all.

And it is that attitude that has allowed those who wish us ill to get away with it.

Everyone terrified that if they point out the obvious they'll instantly be tarred with the racist brush.

but it is true that many south asians came here and worked hard to become entrepeneurs sp? opened businesses such as off licencses, corner shops and restaurants and contribute to the economy, and provide employment. look at brick lane for example,
even those who came and worked as security uards paid taxes, had mortaes etc so contributed to the economy?

i mean how would you determine who is an entrepeneur or business man and will open a business such as shop or restaurant once here in a visa application?

Gosh - wildly off topic - the mainland UK and NI gave an awful lot of "harbour" to terrorists ... namely the IRA ... and all its off shoots and there are also jihad cells flourishing ...sleeper cells ..... just waiting ......

Coming back to the IRA .... all absolved of their crimes and duly elected now .... warms the cockles of your heart doesnt it?

Scary thing about Pakistan is that they have the bomb (due to naiviety -sp? - in Europe).......

so we cannot afford to let it become a "failed state"....

Of course they knew Bin Laden was there! DUH!

many pakistanis in the UK are happy to be in the UK . regard it as their home, are modern British citizens and have adopted British culture and custom. I see it every day where i work which is a very multi cultural part of London. there are thousands of Pakistani born now British citizens and British born with pakistani heritage in the UK who are like this. They work hard , run businesses and contribute to our culture and society.

Unfortunately there are also a large number of recent and not so recent arrivals who have brought the attitudes, mindset and behaviour of a 3rd world village into a modern country, the UK. They have no real wish to integrate in any way, and don't really regard the UK as home. They have been allowed in indiscriminately with nothing in the way of education, no skills, no employment prospects. They are here to freeload and contribute very little, apart from burdening the NHS and other social services. These people undoubtedly number scores of thousands.

Changing attitudes amongst this second group is a hell of a challenge. Ideally the first group would help with the job. Unfortunately it is not always so simple.

my god its like the daily mail in a handy concentrated shot like red bull.

read a bit more thread and have decided to hide this after you brought the court of human rights into it. there is no emoticon for my face at the minute. wouldn't it be great if there were no human rights? we could have had about 10 hitlers by now.

Why is discussing geopolitical issues like the Daily Mail? Have you stopped to consider that exactly this type of conversation about aid, failed states, how to engage with Pakistan given as Meditrina says it's strategic importance goes on every day? It formed part of the discussion where dh works the other day - we discuss it at home; it's a situation with many shades of grey.

Med - one of the biggest problem for the Logisticians in Bastion was bringing stuff via Pakistan as it got burned and the biggest problem with that according to my source (who was in Bastion and organising this was part of his job there) was the ISI.

If they have money to build a bomb then they sure as hell don't need my money

maighdlin, you're right, there isn't a cat's bum face emoticon and we really should have one by now.

Reported today that the heads of Al Quaida are meeting in Pakistan just now.

Meeting.

In Pakistan.

Or would you prefer to run away and hide now?