Questions
1. Name the capitals of Pakistan and India.
2. Why do Indian investigators believe the Mumbai terrorists had help from either locals or a separate team who prepared for the attacks from outside India?
3. What has the Indian government demanded that Pakistan do to assist them in their investigation? Be specific.
4. Why do Indian investigators believe that all 10 of the terrorists are Pakistani even though nothing found among their possessions pointed to a direct link with Pakistan?
5. Why do you think the terrorists tried to give an impression of belonging to an Indian Muslim radical movement rather than a group of Pakistani infiltrators?
6. What concern does the U.S. have about India's demands and threats to Pakistan?
Background
On the India-Pakistan conflict (from the CIA World FactBook):
- The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory.
- A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh.
- In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998.
- The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002.
- Mounting public dissatisfaction with Pakistani President Musharraf, coupled with the assassination of the prominent and popular political leader, Benazir Bhutto, in late 2007, and Musharraf's resignation in August 2008, led to the September presidential election of Asif Zardari, Bhutto's widower.
- Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control Islamist militants, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan.
- The Pakistani government is also faced with a deteriorating economy as foreign exchange reserves decline, the currency depreciates, and the current account deficit widens.