Don’t Panic: What is Lashkar-e-Taiba?
Monday, December 15th, 2008
Lashkar-e-Taiba sounds like the name of a perky, South Asian ice-dancing duo. “Taiba’s triple lutz was the crowd pleaser, but it was Lashkar’s flawless camel spin that really wowed the judges.”
But don’t let the cute moniker fool you. Lashkar-e-Taiba is a terrorist group headquartered in Pakistan. It’s a very, very, (very!) dangerous organization.
Audience shouts: “How dangerous is it?
It’s soooo dangerous, when she steps on a talking scale, the scale says “ouch.”
I’m sorry. That’s how fat your mama is.
Lashkar-e-Taiba is soooo dangerous, it very nearly started a nuclear war.
In December 2001, LeT attacked India’s parliament in New Delhi. The assault left 12 dead and 22 injured. Naturally, India was furious. LeT operated freely and openly in Pakistan. India warned Pakistan: if you don’t crack down on LeT, we will.
To show it was serious, India ordered a massive troop build-up along its border with Pakistan. By mid-2002, India had roughly 700,000 troops — and nuclear weapons — ready to hit Pakistan. In response, Pakistan pointed 300,000 troops — and its own nuclear arsenal — at India.
It’s the closest the world has come to nuclear war since the Cuban Missile Crisis. (more…)
