Kashmir is not just a song

"If we get protected by this country for much longer, we'll be completely destroyed..." says one of the characters in Salman Rushdie's new novel Shalimar the Clown. Up front, I will tell you I haven't read it, but am motivated to do so now that I have seen this interview on Foreign Exchange. The story is as much about the destruction of paradise by two warring powers, India and Pakistan, as it is understanding the mind of a jihadist. The book now takes on a further poignancy as we learn that Kashmir is the area hardest hit by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake.

I wish that CNN was faster with its transcripts so you could see the ridiculous interview with the Pakistani Prime Minister. He was so patient, they were such idiots. It will be interesting to compare the disaster response, though.

International Red Cross/Red Crescent. What can more can you say?