by SAMIRA SHACKLE
Making an association between the flood and the war on terror distracts from the humanitarian disaster.
Certainly, the threat of terrorism has permeated discussion of the flood. Several comment pieces, ostensibly urging people to give generously, do so on the grounds that donating will somehow prevent a suicide attack in Britain.
Anatol Lieven writes in the Times (behind paywall):
Aid to Pakistan is clearly a vital British security interest…
If Pakistan collapses or parts of its army are driven to mutiny, the threat from that terrorism would increase by orders of magnitude.
Ahmed Rashid concurs in the Telegraph:
Unless major aid is forthcoming immediately and international diplomatic effort is applied to improving Pakistan’s relations with India, social and ethnic tensions will rise and there will be food riots. Large parts of the country that are now cut off will be taken over by the Pakistani Taliban and affiliated extremist groups, and governance will collapse.
New Statesman for more