I’m not a fear monger, but right now, the whole world needs to pay attention to what is going on in Pakistan. Taliban militants are continuing their assault, and have had a series of victories that continue to move them closer to the capital of Pakistan. It’s risen fears the country is on the brink of collapse, and the secular Awami National party is on the verge of being overrun. If you don’t think that’s a very big deal, try and remember what they did with Afghanistan. The Taliban is interested in only one thing; Islam, and they are ready to spread the ‘good word’ with sword in hand. The problem, of course, is Pakistan is one of the few countries in this world with the deadliest of swords: The Atomic Bomb.

I don’t want to be needlessly alarmist, but we cannot allow Pakistan to fall into the hands of theologically motivated whackos. It’s one thing to battle individuals based on politics, but it’s quite another to battle someone’s religion. The Taliban does not negotiate, does not compromise, and does not care for anything other than the complete submission of every Muslim.

The Taliban in control of a nuclear state is one of those doomsday scenarios that plays out like a Tom Clancy novel without the super cool international special forces. Hopefully, the Pakistani government will be able to suppress this rebellion (especially with help from the West), but it’s very likely that over time they may gain more support, especially with the quagmire in Iraq providing them with fresh recruits and political fodder.

Dark times are ahead, people.