Poverty, illiteracy cause terrorism---Musharraf

Great coverage of the Musharraf talk! The article covers Musharraf's tree analogy well. Unfortunately, he omitted to talk about the trunk of the tree -- states and state entity's, like Pakistan's ISI, or the Saudi export of radical teaching through Madrasa's in Pakistan, which transmit nourishment from the roots to the branches and leaves.

Hmmm..interesting that all the leaders are middle class or rich! Is the solution to solve their hate MORE MONEY also?

Musharraf did mention "mainstreaming the students in the madrasas" as one of his policies aimed at reducing extremism in Pakistan. Other such policies were to "control and check printing of very aggressive militant handbills and books;" "ban organizations that are extremist;" and "change the syllabus and curriculum wherever there is talk of militancy and sectarian extremism and go more toward teaching of the essence of Islam." He said "we undertook these (policies) with successes in many areas, less successes in some..."

Musharraf himself was greatest supporter of Taliban and Al Qaeda untill Colin Powel called him to face the consequences .
Pakistan was one of the only two country who recognised barbaric Talibans rule and Now he trying to be holier than the Pope. With regards to his claim of Pakistan capturing most of the Terrorist in the world , that is because Pakistan had most of the terrorist in the world. Can Norway , Denmark catch similar numbers even if they put all the world Army after them.

We're stuck dealing with Musharraf but he isn't being truthful when it points to poverty and other political situations as the cause of terrorism. No way. The real situation is that far too many governments in the regions are severely corrupt and rotten to the bone, and the political leaders use items like the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict to try to explain away and even justify acts of terrorism. They can't be explained away and they can't be justified. They are the legitimate expressions of frustration of citizens --- not at the conflict itself or poverty or something else of that nature -- but their own predicament of being unable to lash out and address the failings of their OWN governments. Political reform should be a top agenda item for de facto dictators in the region, but it's not the table because it's good to be king. We need to wise up and stop listening to the words of tyrants and kings eager to scapegoat the problem on something other than what it is. Let Musharraf bring a real openness and freedom of speech and religion and political rights to Pakistan and close down the indoctrination Madrass schools. Then, we can talk. Until then, any remarks by Musharraf should be discounted to their appropriate merit and value, which unfortunately is considerably lower than they should be.

If what you say is true, Please explain the City of Palo Alto and its Domestic Terrorisum approach and policies?

I though this is the smartest city in the world. One of the richest.

So explain the number of TERRORISTS that got their started in this city.