Sunday, November 27, 2011

An Open Letter To The Pakistani People

To the Pakistani People,

You are angry over the death of your soldiers in an attack from NATO forces. We are angry that this occurred just as you are. Your forces called in an air strike and the mission went horribly wrong. The suffering of your people, the families of the dead and your nation is understandable. We mourn with you.

There is another facet of this story and it is simple. Your government knew bin Laden was living in Pakistan. Your government also harbors many other terrorists. Many of your citizens also sanction terrorists, terrorism and the mission to kill innocent people as well as those Americans fighting terrorism.

You cannot want peace and sanction murder. You cannot hate us and ignore the actions of your government and civil and religious leaders for they are involved in terrorism. Terrorism is murder.

If you want the killing to stop, stop sanctioning terrorism and the murderers involved in carrying out terrorist acts.

It is that simple. Stop supporting terrorism. Stop supporting murder.

If you do so, the killing will stop and peace and prosperity will come to Pakistan. If you do so, terrorists will know they are not welcome in your country. Until that time, stop blaming America for fighting those that want to kill Americans.

Your acceptance of terrorists and terrorism caused these deaths.

Accept that and you will start the stopping of tragedies such as this. If you do not move to stop the support of terrorists, murderers and terrorism then you will see more death.

It is your call. Make it wisely.

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres



















Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780–1867)
Portrait of Monsieur Guillaume Guillon Lethière, 1815
Pencil on wove paper
Inscribed at lower right, M. de Ingres / a Madlle
Bequest of Therese Kuhn Straus in memory of her husband,
Herbert N. Straus
Photography by Graham Haber, 2011