Officials Set The Record Straight About Extremists And Pakistan

By Aaron Richardson-Talk Radio News Service

The popular opinion regarding Pakistan has been misrepresented by a headline-seeking media and conflicting U.S. policies with the Middle Eastern country according to a panel of experts and elected officials in Washington, D.C.

“The U.S. wants to create better relations with Pakistan, yet the bombing continues,” said panelist Samina Ahmed, South Asia Project Director at the International Crisis Group.

Congress has allocated millions of dollars to assist Pakistani civilians who have lost homes and belongings due to bombings, according to Wendy Chamberlin, President of the Middle East Institute.

“The media created a picture of them being anti-American, all Muslims do not hate America…do not call these extremists the Taliban, that means nothing, they are al-Qaida. The extremists are not popular there,” said Chamberlin.

Chamberlain said the media’s portrayal of Pakistan has had a devastating effect on the country’s international relations. U.S. Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.), who was also a part of the panel, discussed strategy for ending extremism in Pakistan during a May hearing with the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs.

“Campaign against extremism will not succeed with bullets and bombs alone. A critical part of the administration’s new strategy is to significantly increase civilian staffing,” Tierney said.