Face-to-face with uncertain future
Need to recognise hybrid cultures
THE end of terrorism will not resolve the political problems facing the world. Any solution to contemporary crises must take recourse to fighting the feelings of fear and hatred and encouraging the opposing forces to adhere to values of moderation, religious tolerance and sanctity of human rights. Unless dialogue prevails, the current conflagration has every chance of ending in nuclear terrorism, warns Shelley Walia.

“We need to think out retaliatory military measures”
G. Parthasarthy, former Indian envoy to Pakistan, Australia and Myanmar, believes that for dealing with Pakistan India needs policies that can be sustained and are credible. Excerpts from interview with Rajiv Sharma.

Defining ‘action-reaction’ theme
No place for rabblerousers in India
THERE has been a trend of intellectual and highly educated Muslims willingly joining terrorist organisations. We have the example of Omar Sheikh who studied in the London School of Economics and joined an extremist fundamentalist group in Pakistan. Recent reports speak of an engineer and a doctor being part of a conspiracy to plant bombs in several places in Mumbai. Is it possible that apart from the ISI, they have also been motivated by certain events within the country, asks T. V. Rajeswar.

“Why should India be afraid of Pak’s nuclear capability?”
GEN V N Sharma, former Chief of Army Staff, is of the view that India has failed to capitalise on the ‘window of opportunity’ that Kargil had offered. "We have not had the courage to take resolute military action," he says in an interview to Rajiv Sharma.

Combating the terrorist
Lessons from Israel and Sri Lanka

	EVEN an year after the attack on Parliament terrorists continue to have access to the Capital. In sharp contrast to the Indian policy, Israel has relied upon use of maximum force at source in a policy of instant retribution. Israel’s is a fight for survival. Their soldiers shoot first, most times to kill.
Should India also follow the same policy to end cross-border terrorism or should it evolve its own response, asks Ashok K. Mehta.

Making security forces more effective
Legislative backup need of the hour

	TACKLING terrorism requires an integrated strategy. The systemic causes which foster terrorism must be addressed. There may be political grievances, real or imagined, or there may be economic exploitation or social oppression. These should be attended to for a long-term and permanent solution to the problem of terrorism.
After all, why is there such virulent Islamic fundamentalism and raw anti-Americanism, wonders Prakash Singh.

Jinnah redux and the age of Osama

	‘WE went to the jihad filled with joy, and I would go again tomorrow,’ he said. ‘If Allah had chosen me to die, I would have been in Paradise, eating honey and watermelons and grapes, and resting with beautiful virgins, just as it is promised in the Quran. Instead, my fate was to remain amid the unhappiness here on
earth.’ Defeat is only a setback in the holy war. The jihad goes on, records M. J. Akbar in his book The Shade of Swords.