According to a report published by the RAND Corporation, victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States have received $38.1 billion dollars in compensation, with insurance agencies and the United States government making more than 90 percent of the payments. The 52 victims of the 7/7 attacks in London have also received a total of over five million British pounds in compensation. Similarly victims of the Madrid bombing in Spain received compensation both from Spanish and EU authorities.

Nearly 200 people have been killed in suicide bombings in Pakistan since 2002 and there is scant evidence that the families of these victims have or will receive anything at all in terms of compensation. The families of the 27 victims of the latest suicide bombings at the Marhaba Hotel in Peshawar are equally unlikely to receive any assistance.

Indeed, marking the disparity between the accolades and commemorations awarded to victims of terror in Western countries begs a question increasingly forgotten by those perpetrating the "war on terror" across the globe: are Pakistani and Muslim victims of terror less innocent and less worthy of mourning than western victims of terror? Are the stories of fathers, brothers, wives, daughters and children that perish on the streets of Karachi or the bazaars of Peshawar somehow less tragic than those of stockbrokers in the World Trade Centre and commuters on the London tube?

These questions are uncomfortable and cumbersome and tragically few in western countries wish to ask them. One reason for this reticence may simply be the inability of the West to acknowledge the reality and tragedy surrounding non-western victims of terror. When a terrorist attack occurs in the western world, immigrant Muslim groups immediately confront an onslaught of scrutiny, with western news media counting the minutes and seconds until condemnations are issued and recriminations posted on Muslim newspapers and websites. At these crucial moments, all Muslims, especially those living in the West, essentially have to disprove the presumption that they are complicit in these horrendous crimes.

Yet when terrorist attacks take place in countries like Pakistan, and the victims are all Pakistanis and Muslims, few non-Muslims in the western world take the trouble to issue condemnations or organise vigils and rallies in support of the innocent victims. At best, a few tersely worded statements are issued by the US State Department that make little pretence at empathy and reek of condescension.

News of suicide attacks in countries like Pakistan is often relegated to one-line dispatches in national news broadcasts across the western hemisphere. The "terrorism experts" that have become a regular feature of Western television news channels do not bother to analyze the dimensions and details of attacks occurring in Peshawar or Karachi. While Pakistan may be incredibly useful as an ally in the war on terror, Pakistanis, who are victims of terror, receive scarce attention and none of the empathy western governments offer to their lost citizens and their families.

Because Iraqis, Afghans and Pakistanis share a religion with the perpetrators of the senseless violence, their deaths are considered less urgent, indicative of an internal problem within Islam that makes the victims, if not as culpable as the perpetrators, then certainly not entirely innocent in the bargain. It is this damning assumption - one that under-girds so many western debates on the ravages of suicide terror and venerates the western victim as more important and more worthy of sympathy - that lies at the crux of the world�s inability to deal with terrorism as a pressing and grotesque disease afflicting the world community.

The culprit is the framing of the war on terror as a conflict between the enlightened West and the progress-averse Muslim world. Reductionist and completely misleading, this construction does incredible disservice to both sides. On one hand it allows the western world to languish in the lie that Muslims only perpetuate terror and are never victimised by it. On the other it allows Muslims to live in the rationalisation that religious extremists are battling only the West and have no qualms or enmities against their fellow Muslims.

The grotesque reality of the deaths in Peshawar is the most recent incident that must lead the world to question the dangerous lies behind both of these assumptions. Seeing religious extremism, and the terrorism it spawns, as a problem that afflicts only one or the other side of the world is to deny the universal human cost being imposed by those for whom human lives, western or non-western, are ultimately meaningless and expendable.

Pakistanis need to realise that when they see horrendous acts of terror such as those carried out on 9/11, they are witnessing not some anti-imperialist victory that is finally bringing an arrogant United States to its knees but rather the unabated death and carnage of thousands of innocent and hapless victims not any different from the scores dying of suicide attacks on the streets of Peshawar and Karachi.

The suicide bomber in Peshawar reportedly had the following message emblazoned on his legs: "This is what happens to American spies". Yet the people he killed were unassuming diners who simply had the misfortune of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. If anything, the tragedy of their deaths should expose the absurdity of a quest that sought to obliterate innocent civilian lives to avenge ideological hatred.

At the same time, westerners need to descend from the secure bandwagon that paints terrorism as a problem deserving attention only when it claims their lives. In doing so, they need to acknowledge the reality that the tragedies afflicting families who lose members to terrorist attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq are just as afflicted, grief-stricken and worthy of the empathy and compassion as those dying in their own countries.

In acknowledging the humanity and common suffering of all victims of terror, perhaps the world can come to realise that the real war is between those who believe in the ultimate sanctity and value of a human life and those who do not.

Let us not be selective in condemning terror, Amen. As the late Eqbal Ahmad correctly pointed out, State Terrorism is the most costly in terms of human lives and suffering. The ongoing devastation in Iraq and Afghanistan is living proof.

the terrorists are not hiding in caves, they live in DC/that's where the capitalist racists produce foreign policy/they cloak their lust for power in words like democracy/never mind thet our system resembles and aristocracy...

Salaams,

The money that was paid to the victims of terror in the west was from the countries of the west. The fact the terror victims in Pakistan didn't receive compensation says more about how Pakistan society values life. Each country has as its most important function to protect its citizens. The failure of Pakistan to compensate terrorist victims is an indictment of Pakistan and not the west.

Martin, I agree. We value life more, at least here in the US. That's why our weapons shed more life the world over than any other country.

When dealing with the compensation that was paid to families it's usually a matter of economic impact. They payments and settlements are giving some tangible value to someone's life.

So in one sense...The life of a stockbroker or commuter on the London tube is worth more than someone of streets of Karachi. But it's only a measure of economic worth. What area has more economic production, New York or Karachi?

Just because there are not many payments of compensation made to families in Pakistan is just a reflection of the differing economic systems and the controls that are in place to manage risk.

But economic worth is not the true value or someone. The worth of someone as a husband, father, wife, mother, brother, sister or a friend cannot be valued. Our worth comes from being made in the image of God. Our worth comes from lives that seek to glorify Him. Our value comes from God's great value.

The only final compensation will come when the Judge of all the universe comes. Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead. He will judge justly. He will render a verdict of guilty or innocent to everyone who has ever lived. They will have their punishment rendered in hell or on the cross.

Everyone of us stands guilty of not valuing life how we should. For that we need to repent and seek forgiveness.

Abu Nurah. You play with words. For whatever reason God has given the US the preeminent position in the world now. All power comes from God as you should know from the Quran.

Rafia, this is pretty offensive stuff. The life of every victim of terrorism is priceless, whether they are western or not.

But to conclude that westerners don't care about non-western victims because the families of the non-western victims haven't received the same financial compensation is an astonishingly bizarre leap of logic.

When Pakistani terrorists kill Pakistani civilians it falls under the jurisdiction of the Pakistani government. If you are not pleased with the amount of compensation that the Pakistani government has offered to the Pakistani vicitms, then please direct your vitriol to the Pakistani government.

And don't use the murder of innocent civilians as yet another excuse to hurl insults at those of us in the west who obviously *do* care about all victims of terrorism. You're only helping to expand the divide that you claim needs to be closed.

Martin Bebow writes: >>For whatever reason God has given the US the preeminent position in the world now. All power comes from God as you should know from the Quran.<<

All power comes from God. Many times it is a test. The righteous use their wealth and status to promote justice. I don't this is what our government is doing.

Abu Norah. What are you really saying? What is it exactly that the US has done that is so bad? Take Saddam out under false pretenses? I suppose that has never happened before. Do you support those who would prevent Iraq from stabilizing? Why should some Muslims be so eager for the Iraqi government to fail that they are willing to kill innocent Iraqi civilians? If they were good Muslims surely they would let God dispose of Iraq. But what they are really afraid of is that Iraq will stabilize and become a pattern for a modern Muslim state. Is that what you are afraid of? If God is giving you a test do you think using suicide bombers is a way to pass the test?

Martin says >>What is it exactly that the US has done that is so bad?<<

Martin, I'm going to recommend some reading for you. A People's History of the United States, by Howard Zinn. Also try Confessions of an Economic Hitman. I think you'll see here a pattern of behavior on behalf of our government that reflects anything but respect for innocent life.

I don't want to hear back from you until you read those. Cheers.

Abu Norah. You must be kidding. The US mistreatment of Native Americans? Abuse of our economic power? I admit all that. I'm more interested in what is happening now. Power is a dangerous thing and it isn't possible in this world to avoid making mistakes in the application of it. The real question is what will yield the best result for the most people. I believe God gives power where it will do the most long term good. This may involve short term injustice (which will have to be atoned for since no injustice goes unpunished in this or the next world) but things equal out in the end. Don't tell me what to read. I am well read and know that the US has done some bad (terrible) things. No great power can avoid that. What I would really like to hear from you is some outrage at the atrocities being done in the name of Islam and which go beyond anything that can be supported by any possible reading of the Quran. You are misdirecting your outrage.

Abu Nurah says >> The righteous use their wealth and status to promote justice. <<

Abu Nurah, I'm going to recommend some reading for you.

[url=http://www.faithfreedom.org]http://www.faithfreedom.org,[/url] by Ali Sinai. Also try [url=http://www.jihadwatch.com]http://www.jihadwatch.com[/url] by Robert Spencer. I think you'll see here a pattern of behavior on behalf of your Prophet that reflects anything but respect for Non-Muslim life.

I don't want to hear back from you until you read those. Cheers.

Martin writes: >>Power is a dangerous thing and it isn't possible in this world to avoid making mistakes in the application of it. <<

Therefore, the powerful should be excused. Just the nature of the beast, huh? If you recognize the terrible things that we have done and continue to do, why not advocate the immediate withdrawal of US troops. Would you want foreign troops to invade and occupy us because a large segment of our population wants Bush out of office and thinks he should be impeached for criminal trespasses?

>>I believe God gives power where it will do the most long term good. This may involve short term injustice (which will have to be atoned for since no injustice goes unpunished in this or the next world) but things equal out in the end.<<

You seem to subscribe to manifest Destiny, in the tradition of European Colonialists who have used it to justify their rape of land and peoples the world over. This life is a test, therefore I believe that we're all tried by God both with what He gives and withholds from us. Still we must enjoin what is right and denounce evil.

>>What I would really like to hear from you is some outrage at the atrocities being done in the name of Islam and which go beyond anything that can be supported by any possible reading of the Quran. You are misdirecting your outrage.<<

Rather than place the blame on the tactics of those resisting occupation, why do you absolve the occupiers. After all, they started this mess. It is they that dropped the bombs, and gave us Haditha and Abu Ghraib. It is not Iraqis invading and raping our women. We are the perpetrators. It's as if you would condemn the slave for using terrorist tactics against the plantation master and his ilk without condemning slavery itself.

Martin Bebow, you wrote "Do you support those who would prevent Iraq from stabilizing? Why should some Muslims be so eager for the Iraqi government to fail that they are willing to kill innocent Iraqi civilians?"

What proof do you have that it is mainly Muslims that are destabilizing Iraq?

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20051015&articleId=1089

http://www.antiwar.com/orig/elmer.php?articleid=2959

Amita, I am well acquainted with these Islamophobes. It is very easy to refute their attacks.

Bottom line here, we have to judge people based on their actions. Would Prophet Jesus approve of this brutal invasion and occupation of Iraq that only benefits corporate greed? What of Vietnam and the millions we killed there, and the hundreds of thousands we incinerated in Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Islam is not on trial here. It is the imperialist actions of those motivated mainly and greed and racism.

amita,

There are plenty of Hindus, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, athiests, etc who don't respect the lives of people who do not have their same beliefs, but they do not get the same amount of media attention that Muslims do.

Good point, RandallJones. I have read that it is a misconception that the invasion motivated by oil in the sense that our govt wanted to take Iraqi oil. The plan most likely was to prevent that oil from flooding the market and lowering prices. By creating and maintaining chaos in the region, oil prices remain high and oil companies and investors reap tremendous profits. Hence, 'mission accomplished.'

This was a powerful piece. That being said, the dismissive attitudes of some here is all too predictable. American Christians have taken it upon themselves to force God's hand to return Christ. America, the whore on the many headed beast that will cause the world to weep when she meets her end. The elite living within her have been fooled into believing the lie that they will be rewarded for the deaths of untold millions of innocent people around the world.
I would also request that Amita's account be terminated for linking to hate sites supporting terrorism. This is the third hindu extremist I've found on this site.

The Onion has a fantastic satirical piece on how Iraqi lives are perceived by their invaders. The US would have never attacked Iraq if Americans felt the people who lived there were anything other than ‘Sand n*****s’.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/study_iraqis_may_experience?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

BushTerrorWarForMakeBenefitGloriousNationOfIsrael, I agree that Iraq would not have been attacked if a more human picture had been presented to the Western public. I have seen more of an effort on the part of the US media to show interviews with 'regular' Iranian people than was the case with Iraqis prior to the invasion. It's definitely a lot harder to butcher people when you see them as human.

> The US would have never attacked
> Iraq if Americans felt the people
> who lived there were anything
> other than ‘Sand n*****s’.

Comments like that serve no purpose except to fan the flames of hatred.