Terrorism is the last refuge for cowards and there is no better example of that than the bombing in Peshawar that claimed over 100 lives on Wednesday, the vast majority entirely defenseless women and children. The savagery of the attack is sickening and far from bolstering the Taleban that was responsible for the deadly blast; it only reveals the group's shocking lack of both humanity and connection to those they are seeking to rule. According to merchants in Peshawar, the attack, albeit shocking, did not come as a complete surprise. Militants had been visiting merchants in the area, pressing them to prohibit women from shopping. The merchants, of course, took no heed to their call and the car bomb detonated between two narrow lanes of Meena Bazaar and Kochi Bazaar, an area frequented by female shoppers. It was, no doubt, coinicidental that the blast occurred during the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Pakistan. The US has just appropriated significant aid money for Pakistan but the appropriation has caused some controversy in Pakistan as it comes with numerous strings attached regarding Pakistan's dealing with militant extremism and other elements of domestic society. There are many who think that this constitutes direct intervention by the US in Pakistan's domestic affairs. Whichever side of that question one comes down on, it is, indeed, a legitimate issue to debate. But the question itself becomes miniscule in comparison to what was perpetrated on the people of Peshawar. There is no justification of any kind that can be made for the wholesale slaughter of human beings in the marketplace purchasing goods meant to sustain their families. Whereas Clinton's unannounced visit could have spurred vigorous debate over the role of the US in Pakistan, the outright murder of innocent Pakistanis by what can only be described as bloodthirsty murderers will only serve to divert anger from the US to the Taleban themselves. There is an old concept of winning the hearts and minds of a populace that a particular group is trying to bring into their fold. It is mind-boggling that anyone who thinks they have a legitimate cause would think that mass murder is legitimate – much less, effective
