"A Gift to the Nation"

From the Guardian:

Pakistan test-fired its first cruise missile on President Pervez Musharraf’s 62nd birthday yesterday, in the latest escalation of the arms race with rival India.

Delhi declined to comment on the launch of the Babur, a terrain-hugging missile with a range of 310 miles which can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.

Mr Musharraf hailed the Babur as a “gift to the nation”. It would, he said, “further improve the balance of power in the region”.

Wonderful world, isn’t it? Meanwhile, the Mullahs continue pursuing their gift to the Iranian people. Happy, happy.

UPDATE… Dept. of Mine’s Bigger than Yours: Front the Pakistan Daily Times, Musharraf “said that Babur was far more superior to the Indian BrahMos cruise missile. He said BrahMos had the capability of carrying warheads to about 290 kilometres whereas Babur could carry warheads up to 500 kilometres.”

MEANWHILE… For a look at real life in nuclear-armed Pakistan, the World Education Forum reports: Official statistics released by the Federal Education Ministry of Pakistan give a desperate picture of education for all, espcially for girls. The overall literacy rate is 46 per cent, while only 26 per cent of girls are literate. Independent sources and educational experts, however, are sceptical. They place the overall literacy rate at 26 per cent and the rate for girls and women at 12 per cent, contending that the higher figures include people who can handle little more than a signature.

I was curious about the education site’s report on Iran but they have none.