Concepts of Inerrancy and Infallibility in the Bible

Thesis Statement:Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concepts of Inerrancy and Infallibility in the Bible specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More â€Å"Should the Concepts of Inerrancy and Infallibility in the Bible be utilized as Sufficient Justifications of the Legitimacy of Religious Positions on Social Issues?† Introduction It is quite interesting to note that studies such as those by Sherkat (2011) have indicated that an increasingly large amount of religious sermons, statements of faith, and a wide assortment of other such text related to the affirmation of the Catholic faith in God have increasingly utilized the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible as a method of legitimizing their claims to faith and justifying their views.1 This is not to say that such ideas are without merit, given the supposedly divine origins of the Bible, however, scholars such as Beale (2011) have stated that utilizing the Bible as the justification for one’s faith and views is in itself highly flawed2. Beale (2011) explains this by stating that even if the Bible is inerrant and infallible the fact remains that faith should be an internal development based on a continuing relationship with God which is supported by the scripture within the Bible, not the other way round wherein scripture is utilized as a means of legitimizing faith. Other scholars such as Smith (2012) question the concepts of inerrancy and infallibility attributed to the Bible given the archaic nature of several scriptures and their general inapplicability to modern day situations3. What you have to understand is that in order to explain the origin of the Bible, the terms inerrancy and infallibility are often utilized interchangeably due to their ability to point out that Bible is far different to any other book that has been written thus far given its historical and religious significance as the word of God.Advertising L ooking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Yet, it must be questioned whether such terms should be considered interchangeable given their markedly different meaning and utilization by both the church and religious scholars. First and foremost the term infallible, when utilized in the context of holy scripture such as the Bible, can be defined as transcending concepts related to sin, spiritual or material flaws as well as the deceptions of its writers and the method by which it was communicated to others (i.e. through print, digital text, etc.). In laymen’s terms this means that when the Bible, through the Holy Spirit, describes various aspects related to the good news of Christ such as the vision, purpose and character of God in relation to his design for humanity, is in effect doing so through a transcendental effect that goes straight to the character of the Bible and its message of sa lvation. Inerrant, on the other hand, when defined once more within the context of the Bible, relates to the scriptures within the Bible always being right when carrying out their intended purpose of showing who God is, his vision and purpose for humanity and stating the good news of salvation through Christ4. It is based on this that despite the obvious chronological disparity between the present day and the time in which the bible was written, the content of the scriptures should not be disregarded as if they were a mistake, rather they should be considered as fully applicable guides to current believers regarding the true and righteous path that God had meant for us to follow5. Despite such obvious deviations in meaning and content, inerrancy and infallibility still continue to be used interchangeable to this day. On the other hand, it must be questioned whether the concepts of inerrancy and infallibility can truly be applied to the Bible. This is based on the widely known fact t hat the bible as we know of it today is a combination of select scriptures by the council of Nicaea (325 AD) and as such excludes certain scriptures that could have similarly had the distinction of being considered inerrant and infallible.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concepts of Inerrancy and Infallibility in the Bible specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Considering that the inerrant and infallible nature of the Bible is based on its divine origins, the fact that the there are some text that are intentionally excluded creates a sufficient amount of reasoning to assume that the Bible is not as inerrant and infallible as it would seem given that it can be deemed as incomplete. It is based on this that it must be asked should the concepts of inerrancy and infallibility in the Bible be utilized as sufficient justifications of the legitimacy of religious positions on social issues? Religious Positions on So cial Issues Religious positions on social issues encapsulate a wide variety of instances such as gay marriage, stem cell research, the death penalty, divorce and other such issues that have ethical and moral underpinnings. It is usually the case that religious positions on such issues often result in positive or negative effects depending on the inherent intent of the religious group involved. For example, due to the advocacy of various religious groups stem cell research has in effect been halted in the U.S. and in other countries around the world due to idea that continuing along this path of research is unethical according the views of God in the Bible involving the sanctity of life. The delay in the social and governmental acceptance of gay marriage in the U.S. and in other countries as well is also a manifestation of the actions of religious groups over their interpretation of the Bible and how this results in their aversion to actions that have been distinctly stated as  "abhorrent† within a variety of scriptures. When examining such issues it can be seen that position of religious on a variety of social issues is connected to interpretations based on the Bible with the inherent justification behind its use being related to its infallibility and inerrant nature.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As explained by the article â€Å"The Evolution of the Debate (2012), various religious groups justify their arguments on social issues based on a literal and single minded interpretation of the Bible without sufficiently thinking if such a point of view is actually applicable to the present day circumstances6. This is due to the fact that they believe that the infallible and inerrant nature of the bible deems their actions as justifiable given that they are supposedly in accordance with the will of God. It is this way of thinking that calls into considerable whether utilizing the supposed inerrant and infallible nature of the bible actually creates a justifiably legitimate position by various religious groups on social issues7. This calls into question whether the utilizing the bible as a means of arguing against the use of stem cell research, gay marriage and other such issues is truly valid. Ethos and the Use of Inerrancy and Infallibility in the Bible as Methods of Justificatio n What must be understood is that Ethos refers to the way in which a person portrays themselves in an argument, in a sense it is a method in which persuaders present an â€Å"image† to people that they are attempting to convince. This particular â€Å"image† refers to a persuaders â€Å"character† in the sense that a person is attempting to persuade another person of the righteousness of their statements based on their inherent character. In the case of the various religious groups this takes the form of them attempting to convince other people of the righteousness of their cause on the basis of the image that they are portraying, namely, that the inerrant and infallible nature of the Bible justifies their arguments against a variety of social issues. It is this argument on the basis of a projected image that is a cause for concern since basing it on a projected image alone does not justify the action itself8. For example, a person may argue for the righteousnes s of a cause on the basis of their knowledge of the event yet this attempt at persuasion may in itself be self-serving for the person that is attempting to persuade other individuals. An examination of the motivations behind the use of ethos by various religious organizations reveals that many of their bible based interpretations utilizing the inerrancy and infallibility as a method of justification actually originate from a self-serving nature. Ethos in effect justifies their actions under the basis of a righteous cause yet in the end is more beneficial to them than to other individuals. In the case of ethos what must be understood is that it is â€Å"artifice†, meaning that is created, manufactured, made, constructed etc. It can be considered a type of surface image which may in fact have an entirely fictitious relationship to what is actually true9. For example, a teacher could show up in class one day wearing cowboy boots, a ten gallon hat and long sleeved t-shirt with a large image of a cactus on the front, the next day he can wear an average suit and tie while the day after that he could wear a Scottish kilt, bagpipes and one of those patterned hats. The reason I mention it is due to the fact that despite the different outfits he wears the person and the ideas that are being presented have not changed at all, however, what is changed is the perception of the audience regarding the idea being presented. The same can be said for ethos wherein the method in which the idea is â€Å"packaged† drastically changes the perception of the audience towards accepting the idea itself or the validity of its statements. In the case of the ethos of various religious groups it can be seen that when boiled down to its very essence it is merely a statement which says the following: â€Å"believe in what I say since it is based on inerrant an infallible scripture†. It is in the way that it is packaged and presented to the public that changes the percept ion of the public to the idea that is being presented. What the public sees as an argument based on an ineffable and infallible scripture is in essence is a statement allowing to do whatever they want. Inerrancy and Religious Positioning Inerrancy is based on the concept that what is present is not false and affirms the truth whether it is religious, scientific or physical in nature. What you have to understand though is that the Bible being inerrant does not mean that the interpretations of the Bible that manifest itself through religious doctrine, are sufficiently inerrant themselves. For example, the current church doctrine which is specifically against the advancement of stem cell research is based off the supposedly inerrant notion of the right to life within the bible. Since stem cells are at times derived from zygotes which are incomplete versions of a proto-human fetus their use in medical research is considered to be an abhorrent violation of the right to life as indicated by the bible. It must also be noted that the concept of bible ambiguity can be considered a serious problem when it comes to religious positioning based on inerrancy since passages from the bible can be interpreted in a multitude of possible ways. For example, The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood through their interpretation of the bible specifically state that the roles of men and women should be differentiated to specific roles within the family with no degree of overlap. As a result of this, leadership positions within the family as well as in businesses, organizations and even in government institutions under the council’s view should be exclusively isolated to men alone. On the other hand, the religious group â€Å"Christians for Biblical Equality† interpret the bible under the context of men and women being equals and possessing the ability to have the same rights and roles. This type of variant interpretation has manifested itself into the creation of n umerous church groups such as the Westborough Baptist Church, the Living Church of God and other such radical segments of Christianity that state that their interpretation of the Bible makes them the â€Å"true† church of God. Given that such groups have teachings that are considered â€Å"abnormal† even by the main orthodoxy of the Catholic Church is clear evidence that religious positions on social issues based on the inerrancy of the bible is unjustifiable given the different ways in which statements within it can be adjusted in such a way that they can actually promote hate. One of the best examples of this can be seen in the numerous instances where the Westborough Baptist Church has openly picketed in numerous areas openly stating their hatred for gays, the fact that soldiers who died in Iraq for their country are going to hell and that God does not have a place in heaven for individuals that support concepts outside of their acknowledged religious orthodoxies. F rom a certain perspective it can even be stated that the interpretation of the inerrancy of the Bible in the case of the West Borough Baptist church is one that actually promotes hate and bigotry, which were aspects that Jesus was clearly against during his time on Earth. Other interpretations based on the inerrant nature of the bible take the form of religious groups within the Philippines which has the largest Catholic community in Asia. Religious groups such as â€Å"Iglesia ni Christo† do not believe in venerating Mary based on their own interpretation of the Bible. Other groups such as the Born Again Christians do not even believe in the concept of saints which is similarly based on their belief in their own interpretation of the inerrant nature of the scripture of the Bible. As it can be seen, interpretations of the bible can be utilized to justify a whole gamut of possible manifestations whether religious or social in nature. Can the Bible be Considered Infallible? The premise of the infallibility of the bible is based on the fact that it was created as a direct action of divine intervention wherein the Holy Spirit inspired the original writers of the text to create the scriptures that we know of in the present. As such, it is considered by many religious scholars as the word of God that has been imparted to all of us as a message of love, peace and the affirmation of our faith and our destiny as God’s children. From the point of view of Grass (2007), the Bible is only considered infallible within the context of the Catholic faith given that other religions have their own versions of religious text which they similarly consider infallible (the Qur’an being a prime example of this)10. Grass (2007), points out though that the infallibility of the bible at the present is often taken out of context regarding its original purpose. The bible was meant as a means of guiding people to interact with their fellow man, to establish peaceful re lations within society and to create a culture that values love, sharing and the development of social bonds that would discourage violent actions. Thus, as a guide, it has indeed served its purpose given that biblical text has helped to inspire society towards a more â€Å"humane† way of interaction. Yet, as Galli (2011) is quick to point out, the bible was never meant as a means of dictating every aspect in relation to how society was meant to operate11. What you have to understand is that the â€Å"timelessness† that is attributed to the infallibility of the Bible is connected to its nature of ethical actions within social relationships. This means that aspects related to governance, development of technologies, conservation, environmentalism and other such topics which are at the forefront of modern day debates are not specifically included in the bible for the reason that it was never meant to encapsulate such aspects in the first place. Hylton (2011) goes on to s tate that it was only when religious institutions started interpreting the various scriptures within the bible based on its inherent inerrancy that the current problems related to religious interference in social issues started12. It based on this that it can be stated that the infallibility attributed to the bible when it comes to religious positions on social issues is unfounded given that what is stated within is taken out of context. It must be noted though several studies which have examined current teachings within religious institutions reveal that many religious orders have started to teach students that facts contained within the Bible pertaining to specific scientific or historical events which do not have an impact on their concept of faith and the Christian practice of religious devotion, may in fact contain considerable errors. This is in direct opposition to other groups who state that everything within the Bible should be considered as incontrovertible fact. What you have to understand is that despite the statements of a multitude of religious scholars, the Bible was in fact created in order to conform to ancient beliefs and practices. This means that the story of genesis, marriage to children and even the stoning of women that cheat on their husbands were all manifestations of practices at the time and as such reflected themselves accordingly into the different scriptures. In an era of modern science and greater social conscious involving ethical marriage practices and commensurate methods of punishment, the examples presented within the Bible can no longer be considered wholly accurate, and various religious groups have started to also acknowledge this as well. It is based on this that the inerrancy of the Bible as an entirely accurate source of information is doubted and as such is the basis behind an argument against the use of the concept of the infallibility of the Bible as a sufficient justification of the legitimacy of religious position s on social issues. Justification of Position Based on Inerrancy Inerrancy is based on the concept of there being no errors whatsoever within a given piece of text. Aside from grammatical errors brought about by issues in translation, the bible supposedly has no errors and is thus the pivotal text often utilized to justify religious positions. This has been seen in numerous instances throughout history such as the debate in stem cell research within the U.S., the removal of the death penalty within several Catholic oriented states within Europe as well as the Republic Health Bill within the Philippines which focuses on the introduction of sexual education classes to combat adverse increases in the population. The justification behind church interference in such issues comes directly from doctrines based on the bible involving the right to life, the orders of God to â€Å"go forth and multiply† and the teachings of Jesus which specifically connote the necessity of protecting l ife. In justifying their position on such matters religious scholars often point towards the inerrant nature of the Bible which focuses on the plan of God for humanity and the doctrines by which we should live our lives. The inherent problem though with the bible is that it lacks sufficient advice regarding the current overpopulation of the planet, the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted illnesses and the fact that stem cell research could potentially improve the lives of countless number of people. As such, while Evangelical scholars point out that the Bible is â€Å"without error in all that affirms† the fact remains that its affirmations lack sufficient precedent on modern day issues. This is not to say that the bible is wrong, the fact is that the bible acts as a sufficient foundation for reasonable action and behaviors which acts as the cornerstones of society, however, the fact remains that it should be considered as a foundation and not the entirety by which s ocial actions should be based upon13. In a rather debasing fashion, Hansen (2008) points out that the bible states that it is perfectly fine to stone a woman to death, have sex with a child and other similar types of behavior14. Hansen (2008) utilizes this as evidence that the bible is not necessarily inerrant given that such methods of behavior are widely considered to be socially unacceptable at the present. While the arguments utilized by Hansen (2008) are far from academically appropriate, the fact remains that they do point out the inherent weaknesses of the bible and the necessity of modifying the general attitude towards its inerrant nature. For example, post modernist Christians point out that the bible should be considered partially inerrant with some aspects being utilized in order to justify methods of behavior but should not be utilized in order to affect issues which are social in nature. On the other end of the spectrum scholars point towards the inspirations drawn fro m inerrant scriptures as the means by which moral and ethical decisions concerning society should be based upon. As Jelen and Lockett (2010) explains, the fact is that the bible acts as a moral compass by which society compares its current position with the intended destination by God. It is only through such an examination that we are able to determine whether as a society we are heading towards a path of positive development or adverse debasement under the guise of technological innovation. Jelen and Lockett (2010) goes on to explain that society needs an inerrant comparison by which it can compare itself to in order to develop in such a way that it is in conjunction with the intended path set forth by God. Such arguments are related to the concepts of the protection of life, barring the use of contraception, affirming the dual nature of the sexes (i.e. being against homosexuality) and the establishment of a life based on religious doctrine15. Conclusion Based on the given argumen ts presented within this paper it can be seen that the concepts of inerrancy and infallibility when applied to the bible should not be utilized as sufficient justification on religious positions on social issues. One of the reasons behind this stems from differences in interpretation, whether intentional or not, that results in differing groups manifesting a plethora of divergent arguments. What you have to understand is that the context in which the bible was written can be interpreted in either a literal or spiritual sense and as such can result in a variety of differing religious observances. This can be seen in the general acceptance of homosexuality by one faction of Christianity and disdain from another. The same applies to views regarding women’s rights, religious observances and general ethics. As explained earlier, the bible was never truly meant to encompass all aspects and changes that could occur within society. It was written within the context of the time of the authors and as such manifests ethical and moral principles that were inherent to this particular time frame and culture. Thus, when compared to present day circumstances, the various social observances that were noted within the bible at the time become distinctly different. As such, when applied to present day social standards the bible cannot be considered wholly inerrant given that it can no longer sufficiently apply itself to modern day issues. Not only that, it was originally meant as a means of helping promote social relationships such as friendship, love and peace and; it was not meant as a means by which people should dictate the way in which society should evolve. It must also be noted that the infallible notion of the Bible is also highly questionable when applied to concepts related to technological development, population control and environmentalism given that it was not meant to encapsulate such aspects. It was originally meant as a guide for interaction, faith and th e development of love for one’s fellow man. Taking this into consideration, it can be stated justifying religious positions on the inerrant and infallible nature of the Bible is thus inapplicable since what is being done is merely interpreting what is being said in order to fit the definitions that suit the needs of that particular religious group. It can also be stated that based on the presented information it can be seen that ethos can be manufactured and created for a certain purpose and in the case of the ethos utilized by religious groups its basis is one which advocates the manipulation of facts in order to serve the ends of that particular group. The fact remains that due to reasoning of the ethos used by religious organizations that keeps on justifying itself on the basis of the infallible and inerrant nature of the Bible shows itself to be inherently flawed. The ethical flaw in this particular case is the fact that basis a system of ethos on self-interpretation crea tes far too many risks in terms of the ethical principles behind the creation of the ethos itself. In fact further examination of this type of ethos reveals that it seems more self-serving to religious groups than to the general public. As it was established earlier the concept of ethos can be shaped and molded in order to entice greater public support for a particular issue. That is what is being seen in the ethos of various religious groups wherein the justification for actions are based on an ethos that has been molded to create positive public opinion but in fact is nothing more than a method of allowing such groups to do what they please. Bibliography Audi, Robert. â€Å"Belief, faith, and acceptance.† International Journal For Philosophy Of Religion 63, no. 1-3 (February 2008): 87-102. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . Beale, G. K. â€Å"Can the bible be completely inspired by god and yet still contain errors? a response to some recent â€Å"evangelical† prop osals.† Westminster Theological Journal 73, no. 1 (Spring2011 2011): 1-22. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . Durland, Stanley. â€Å"The Structure of Biblical Inspiration.† Journal Of Spirituality Paranormal Studies 30, no. 2 (April 2007): 101-111. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . Galli, Mark. â€Å"A New Bible Battle.† Christianity Today 55, no. 10 (October 2011): 11. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . Grass, Tim. â€Å"Scripture alone: ‘Is the Bible all we need?’.† Evangel 25, no. 3 (September 2007): 66-68. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . Hansen, Collin. â€Å"Bishops Battle for the Bible.† Christianity Today 52, no. 12 (December 2008): 16. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . Hylton, Pauline. â€Å"Gifted by God.† Priority! 13, no. 2 (Summer2011 2011): 39. MasterFILE Complete, EBSCOhost . Jelen, Ted G., and Linda A. Lockett. â€Å"AMERICAN CLERGY ON EVOLUTION AND CREATIONISM.† Review Of Religious Research 51, no. 3 (March 2010): 277-287. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . Kantzer, K. â€Å"Why I still believe the Bible is true.† Christianity Today 32, no. 14 (October 7, 1988): 22. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . â€Å"Leaving Out the Bible Can Lead to Incorrect Results.† Biblical Archaeology Review 37, no. 6 (November 2011): 12-66. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . â€Å"No Errors? The Baptists and the bible.† Time 114, no. 1 (July 2, 1979): 61. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . Sherkat, Darren E. â€Å"Religion and Scientific Literacy in the United States.† Social Science Quarterly (Blackwell Publishing Limited) 92, no. 5 (December 15, 2011): 1134-1150. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . Sheler, Jeffery L. â€Å"Mysteries of the Bible. (cover story).† U.S. News World Report 118, no. 15 (April 17, 1995): 60. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . Smith, Andrew. â€Å"Secularity and biblical literalism: confronting the case for epistemological diversity. † International Journal For Philosophy Of Religion 71, no. 3 (June 2012): 205-219. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . â€Å"The Evolution of the Debate.† Christianity Today 56, no. 7 (July 2012): 28. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . Footnotes 1 Sherkat, Darren E. â€Å"Religion and Scientific Literacy in the United States.† Social Science Quarterly (Blackwell Publishing Limited) 92, no. 5 (December 15, 2011): 1134-1150. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . 2 Beale, G. K. â€Å"Can the bible be completely inspired by god and yet still contain errors? a response to some recent â€Å"evangelical† proposals.† Westminster Theological Journal 73, no. 1 (Spring2011 2011): 1-22. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . 3 Smith, Andrew. â€Å"Secularity and biblical literalism: confronting the case for epistemological diversity.† International Journal For Philosophy Of Religion 71, no. 3 (June 2012): 205-219. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . 4  "No Errors? The Baptists and the bible.† Time 114, no. 1 (July 2, 1979): 61. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . 5 Kantzer, K. â€Å"Why I still believe the Bible is true.† Christianity Today 32, no. 14 (October 7, 1988): 22. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . 6 â€Å"The Evolution of the Debate.† Christianity Today 56, no. 7 (July 2012): 28. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . 7 â€Å"Leaving Out the Bible Can Lead to Incorrect Results.† Biblical Archaeology Review 37, no. 6 (November 2011): 12-66. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . 8 Audi, Robert. â€Å"Belief, faith, and acceptance.† International Journal For Philosophy Of Religion 63, no. 1-3 (February 2008): 87-102. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . 9 Sheler, Jeffery L. â€Å"Mysteries of the Bible. (cover story).† U.S. News World Report 118, no. 15 (April 17, 1995): 60. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . 10 Grass, Tim. â€Å"Scripture alone: ‘Is the Bible all we need?’.† Evangel 25, no. 3 (September 2007): 66-68. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . 11 Galli, Mark. â€Å"A New Bible Battle.† Christianity Today 55, no. 10 (October 2011): 11. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . 12 Hylton, Pauline. â€Å"Gifted by God.† Priority! 13, no. 2 (Summer2011 2011): 39. MasterFILE Complete, EBSCOhost . 13 Durland, Stanley. â€Å"The Structure of Biblical Inspiration.† Journal Of Spirituality Paranormal Studies 30, no. 2 (April 2007): 101-111. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . 14 Hansen, Collin. â€Å"Bishops Battle for the Bible.† Christianity Today 52, no. 12 (December 2008): 16. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost . 15 Jelen, Ted G., and Linda A. Lockett. â€Å"AMERICAN CLERGY ON EVOLUTION AND CREATIONISM.† Review Of Religious Research 51, no. 3 (March 2010): 277-287. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost . This research paper on Concepts of Inerrancy and Infallibility in the Bible was written and submitted by user Emerald Woodpecker to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The major backbone of the economy Essay Example

The major backbone of the economy Essay Example The major backbone of the economy Essay The major backbone of the economy Essay India has started the innovations in financial markets very late. Some of the recent developments initiated by the regulatory authorities are very important in this respect. Futures trading have been permitted in certain commodity exchanges. Mumbai Stock Exchange has started futures trading in cottonseed and cotton under the BOOE and under the East India Cotton Association. Necessary infrastructure has been created by the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) for trading in stock index futures and the commencement of operations in selected scripts. Liberalised exchange rate management system has been introduced in the year 1992 for regulating the flow of foreign exchange. A committee headed by S. S. Tarapore was constituted to go into the merits of full convertibility on capital accounts. RBI has initiated measures for freeing the interest rate structure. It has also envisioned Mumbai Inter Bank Offer Rate (MIBOR) on the line of London Inter Bank Offer Rate (LIBOR) as a step towards introducing Futures trading in Interest Rates and Forex. Badla transactions have been banned in all 23 stock exchanges from July 2001. NSE has started trading in index options based on the NIFTY and certain Stocks. In the decade of 1990s revolutionary changes took place in the institutional infrastructure in Indias equity market. It has led to wholly new ideas in market design that has come to dominate the market. These new institutional arrangements, coupled with the widespread knowledge and orientation towards equity investment and speculation, have combined to provide an environment where the equity spot market is now Indias most sophisticated financial market. One aspect of the sophistication of the equity market is seen in the levels of market liquidity that are now visible. The market impact cost of doing program trades of Rs. 5 million at the NIFTY index is around 0. 2%. This state of liquidity on the equity spot market does well for the market efficiency, which will be observed if the index futures market when trading commences. Indias equity spot market is dominated by a new practice called Futures Style settlement or account period settlement. In its present scene, trades on the largest stock exchange (NSE) are netted from Wednesday morning till Tuesday evening, and only the net open position as of Tuesday evening is settled. The future style settlement has proved to be an ideal launching pad for the skills that are required for futures trading. Stock trading is widely prevalent in India, hence it seems easy to think that derivatives based on individual securities could be very important. The index is the counter piece of portfolio analysis in modern financial economies. Index fluctuations affect all portfolios. The index is much harder to manipulate. This is particularly important given the weaknesses of Law Enforcement in India, which have made numerous manipulative episodes possible. The market capitalisation of the NSE-50 index is Rs. 2. 6 trillion. This is six times larger than the market capitalisation of the largest stock and 500 times larger than stocks such as Sterlite, BPL and Videocon. If market manipulation is used to artificially obtain 10% move in the price of a stock with a 10% weight in the NIFTY, this yields a 1% in the NIFTY. Cash settlements, which is universally used with index derivatives, also helps in terms of reducing the vulnerability to market manipulation, in so far as the short-squeeze is not a problem. Thus, index derivatives are inherently less vulnerable to market manipulation. A good index is a sound trade of between diversification and liquidity. In India the traditional index- the BSE sensitive index was created by a committee of stockbrokers in 1986. It predates a modern understanding of issues in index construction and recognition of the pivotal role of the market index in modern finance. The flows of this index and the importance of the market index in modern finance, motivated the development of the NSE-50 index in late 1995. Many mutual funds have now adopted the NIFTY as the benchmark for their performance evaluation efforts. If the stock derivatives have to come about, the should restricted to the most liquid stocks. Membership in the NSE-50 index appeared to be a fair test of liquidity. The 50 stocks in the NIFTY are assuredly the most liquid stocks in India. The choice of Futures vs. Options is often debated. The difference between these instruments is smaller than, commonly imagined, for a futures position is identical to an appropriately chosen long call and short put position. Hence, futures position can always be created once options exist. Individuals or firms can choose to employ positions where their downside and exposure is capped by using options. Risk management of the futures clearing is more complex when options are in the picture. When portfolios contain options, the calculation of initial price requires greater skill and more powerful computers. The skills required for pricing options are greater than those required in pricing futures. In India, the futures market for commodities evolved by the setting up of the Bombay Cotton Trade Association Ltd. , in 1875. A separate association by the name Bombay Cotton Exchange Ltd was established following widespread discontent amongst leading cotton mill owners and merchants over the functioning of the Bombay Cotton Trade Association. With the setting up of the Gujarati Vyapari Mandali in 1900, the futures trading in oilseed began. Commodities like groundnut, castor seed and cotton etc began to be exchanged. Raw jute and jute goods began to be traded in Calcutta with the establishment of the Calcutta Hessian Exchange Ltd. in 1919. The most notable centres for existence of futures market for wheat were the Chamber of Commerce at Hapur, which was established in 1913. Other markets were located at Amritsar, Moga, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Fazilka, Dhuri, Barnala and Bhatinda in Punjab and Muzaffarnagar, Chandausi, Meerut, Saharanpur, Hathras, Gaziabad, Sikenderabad and Barielly in U. P. The Bullion Futures market began in Bombay in 1990. After the economic reforms in 1991 and the trade liberalization, the Govt. of India appointed in June 1993 one more committee on Forward Markets under Chairmanship of Prof. K. N. Kabra. The Committee recommended that futures trading be introduced in basmati rice, cotton, raw jute and jute goods, groundnut, rapeseed/mustard seed, cottonseed, sesame seed, sunflower seed, safflower seed, copra and soybean, and oils and oilcakes of all of them, rice bran oil, castor oil and its oilcake, linseed, silver and onions. All over the world commodity trade forms the major backbone of the economy. In India, trading volumes in the commodity market have also seen a steady rise to Rs 5,71,000 crore in FY05 from Rs 1,29,000 crore in FY04. In the current fiscal year, trading volumes in the commodity market have already crossed Rs 3,50,000 crore in the first four months of trading. Some of the commodities traded in India include Agricultural Commodities like Rice Wheat, Soya, Groundnut, Tea, Coffee, Jute, Rubber, Spices, Cotton, Precious Metals like Gold Silver, Base Metals like Iron Ore, Aluminium, Nickel, Lead, Zinc and Energy Commodities like crude oil, coal. Commodities form around 50% of the Indian GDP. Though there are no institutions or banks in commodity exchanges, as yet, the market for commodities is bigger than the market for securities. Commodities market is estimated to be around Rs 44,00,000 Crores in future. Assuming a future trading multiple is about 4 times the physical market, in many countries it is much higher at around 10 times.

Mormon Church of the Latter Day Saints Research Paper

Mormon Church of the Latter Day Saints - Research Paper Example The wise, prudent and intellectual individuals, by dint of their spiritual thoughtfulness and strong religious belief, rose to the occasion to warn and forbid the people from making alterations in the real teachings of the founders of the religion, so that the true spirit of faith could be rejuvenated out of the misconceptions and amendments inaccurately taken place with the passage of time; the Latter Day Saints Movement was also launched with the same motifs and objectives in view. Launched by Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844) out of some powerful, unabated and unremitting spiritual inspirations, the movement was determined to give up and eradicate every unnecessary addition from the religious norms and beliefs, which had no roots in the faith introduced by Jesus Christ and the saints belonging to the earliest Christian centuries. It is, therefore, the movement is frequently argued to be the fundamentalist movement of restoration for the real teachings of Christ, and its spiritual leade rs are called the latter day saints in order to distinguish them from the early era saints of Christianity. Smith Jr. â€Å"was restoring the only true church which had been lost for centuries due to the corruptions into which all supposedly Christian groups, whether Catholic or Protestant or Orthodox, had fallen.† (Moorhead & Heuser, 1985:1) Hence, like Martin Luther’s reform movement, Mormonism was also interested to mitigate the corruption and exploitation of church being conducted at the hands of religious dogmatism. Mormonism refused to accept the false notion that the historical events, described in the Bible, were just parables; on the contrary, the church strongly believed that all the Biblical stories are based upon the real events occurred from God either as reward on the pious humans for performing excellent deeds, or the punishments for making mischief and going astray from the right path of glory and virtue. Consequently, Noah’s survival in the grea t flood was the sign of the Lord’s blessings upon Noah, his family, and true followers, while the same was the token of His wrath on the disobedient and transgressors. Similarly, Abraham’s seed was bestowed upon with mercies and bounties in the form of spiritual and worldly leadership, while the later generations had to lead the life of slavery because of the malpractices the children of Israel had started committing. For instance, Judah’s scheme of throwing Joseph into the well, and people’s worshipping the golden calf in the absence of Moses invited the wrath of God on transgressors. All these incidents had occurred in reality, so declaring them as the parables and folklores really meant disclaiming the powers of the Lord and His universal system of justice and fair play. Mormon Church also disregards any claim regarding the evolution process and declares Darwin’s evolution theory as baseless and imaginary one in nature and scope.

How technology, with particular emphasis on the internet and Essay

How technology, with particular emphasis on the internet and computers, has changed world culture - Essay Example However after the introduction of automobiles it can be seen that even the third world countries of Pakistan and Bangladesh have started using them. People nowadays prefer travelling in automobiles than travelling in these carriages. Computers and internet similarly have had a huge impact on the cultural values of people. Previously people believed in interacting with each other through different means but never was it known that these people would interact through the digital world soon. After the introduction of computers, internet has evolved as a massive force controlling a group of the society. People interact through internet so easily that many prefer using it as a medium for interacting other than anything. Previously the culture of meeting in real was common for people however as times have changed it can be seen that the culture has also changed. With the evolvement of internet social networking websites have been given a way to change the culture previously prevalent. Face book, MySpace and Twitter are some examples of these networking sites which allow people to interact through the digital world. People usually prefer sitting at their homes and interacting with their friends and family members through these networking sites. It is here that a conflict arises between the new culture and the old culture.

Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army

Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION â€Å"Terrorism is the price of empire. If you do not wish to pay the price, you must give up the empire.† PAT BUCHANAN, Where the Right Went Wrong 1. Six decades after its independence Pakistan continues to search for a durable and credible identity. Pakistans rulers constantly strive to show how Pakistan is equal to, if not better than India in all respects. The complex psychology of the Pakistani ruling elite is dominated by the military. Even after more than three and a half decades, the role in the creation of Bangladesh continues to rankle, with the Pak Army in search of ‘revenge for its humiliating defeat in 1971. The mindset of the Pak Army is a cocktail of arrogance and brashness, at times bordering on cockiness, which becomes even more potent with the addition of a measure of a fundamentalism. 2. The Pak Army sees itself as the dominant power in Pakistan has always enjoyed a larger than life status in socio-political fabric of the country. Democratic regimes have not survived and people represented institutions remain weak in Pakistan. It is difficult to comment authoritatively on whether it is the weak political leadership which is responsible for the democratic failures or the overpowering army which has led to military coups in Pakistan. However, what is certain is this, whenever the position of Pak Army has got threatened they have managed to come back into focus as ‘saviours of the nation by destabilising the Indo-Pak relations. 3. The Pak Armys single minded pursuit of its proxy war for over a decade clearly indicates its long-term game planned to destabilize India by keeping the pot boiling in Kashmir, keeping the Indian Army and other security forces embroiled in counter insurgency operations and, more recently, to extend the area of engagement to other parts of India through wanton acts of terrorism in or around high value targets. In short the Pak Armys strategy is to bleed India through a thousand cuts. For Pak Army it is a win-win situation as there is an element of deniability about its involvement. The Pakistani Generals, are convinced that their bleed-India strategy is a low-cost, high pay off option for Pakistan and, therefore, they are loathe to give it up.[1] What Gives Pak Army Confidence to Wage Covert War? 4. A brutal confidence underlies Pakistans continuing commitment to a strategy of waging war by proxy. This confidence is founded on two pillars. The first is the belief in the Pakistan Armys ability to crush any insurgency if it really decides to do so. This conviction was expressed most clearly in General Pervez Musharrafs statement in 2005 to the insurgents in Balochistan that he would sort them out and that they wont know what hit them. 5. The second source of confidence is Pakistans nuclear weapons. Many in Pakistans army and political leadership believe that these weapons protect Pakistan from the outside world. Indian restraint during both the 1999 Kargil War and during the 2001-2002 OP PARAKRAM after the militant attack on Indias Parliament, is an evidence of the power of Pakistans nuclear card. This was evident again after the Mumbai attacks on 26 Nov 2008.[2] 6. Many—if not all—of the militant groups active in JK have enjoyed the specific patronage of the Pakistani state intelligence and military agencies to prosecute Islamabads interests in India.[3] 7. This dissertation seeks to carry out a study of the conduct of cross border terrorism by Pak Army, estimate its future contours suggest suitable responses. Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER II METHODOLOGY â€Å"Terrorism is the tactic of demanding the impossible, and demanding it at gunpoint.† CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS, Terrorism: Notes Toward a Definition Statement of the Problem 1. To identify analyse role of Pak Army in creating dissonance in Indo- Pak relations by sponsoring cross border terrorism against India. To suggest Indias response to counter this threat. Hypothesis 2. With power now in hands of civilian establishment the Pak Army is finding itself in a vulnerable position and is gradually losing its commanding status. To regain their image as ‘guardian angels of the country they are resorting to destabilising Indo-Pak relations by triggering violent terror incidents. 3. The Pak Army attributes all such incidents as being carried out by ‘non-state actors and ‘freedom fighters, while the truth is that Pak Army along with ISI is directly involved in promoting cross border terrorism. Justification of the Study 4. Pak Army continues unabated in its quest to destabilise India through covert means. The investigations into the recent attacks in Mumbai have also revealed a clear link between the Pak Army and the non- state actors and yet the true propagators (read ISI) of the violence are yet to be brought to book. The more India talks in front of the whole world about it, the more denials come from Pakistan, in the light of these facts, it is essential that India must take concrete steps to counter Pak Army support to terrorists who wage covert war against India also unveil its true colours to the world community. Scope 5. The focus of this study is on Pak Armys use of radical Islamic Fundamentalism terrorism as a military strategy to create dissonance in Indo-Pak relations. The emphasis is on role of Pak Army in the recent Mumbai attacks. The study further analyses the likely contours of future covert war methods and concludes by suggesting various options with India to counter the new emerging threat. The dissertation does not cover Pak Army role in raising the ‘Taliban and its so called ongoing war against terrorism and only concentrate on the events and actions that destabilise Indo- Pak relations. Method of Data Collection 6. The source of this dissertation has been the books, periodicals and articles available in the library of Defence Services Staff College. The web sites of IDSA, USI, and several other Indian dailies on the Internet also have been a great help. The bibliography is appended at the end of the text. Organisation of study 7. It is proposed to study the subject by analysing and evaluating the following aspects:- (a) Understanding terrorism. (b) Cross Border Terrorism: An Alternative Military Strategy. (c) Pak Army Sponsored Cross Border Terrorism. (d) Future Contours Suggested Responses. (e) Conclusion. Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER III UNDERSTANDING TERRORISM â€Å"In an interconnected world, the defeat of international terrorism and most importantly, the prevention of these terrorist organizations from obtaining weapons of mass destruction will require the cooperation of many nations. We must always reserve the right to strike unilaterally at terrorists wherever they may exist. But we should know that our success in doing so is enhanced by engaging our allies so that we receive the crucial diplomatic, military, intelligence, and financial support that can lighten our load and add legitimacy to our actions. This means talking to our friends and, at times, even our enemies.† BARACK OBAMA Defining Terrorism 1. Virtually any especially abhorrent act of violence perceived as directed against society—whether it involves the activities of antigovernment dissidents or governments themselves, organized-crime syndicates, common criminals, rioting mobs, people engaged in militant protest, individual psychotics, or lone extortionists—is often labeled â€Å"terrorism.† 2. Terrorism, in the most widely accepted contemporary usage of the term, is fundamentally and inherently political. It is also ineluctably about power: the pursuit of power, the acquisition of power, and the use of power to achieve political change. Terrorism is thus violence—or, equally important, the threat of violence—used and directed in pursuit of, or in service of, apolitical aim.[4] State Sponsored Terrorism 3. One of the most authoritative studies by Daniel Byman, a leading scholar on terrorism defines state sponsorship as â€Å"a governments intentional assistance to a terrorist group to help it use violence, bolster its political activities, or sustain [its] organization.† [5]His research identifies six areas in which states provide support to terrorists—training and operations; money, arms, and logistics; diplomatic backing; organizational assistance; ideological direction; and (perhaps most importantly) sanctuary.[6] Byman argues that terrorist groups which receive significant amounts of state support are far more difficult to counter and destroy than those which do not.[7] 4. However, it is also important to note that there are several types of state sponsorship of terrorism: â€Å"strong supporters† are states with both the desire and the capacity to support terrorist groups; â€Å"weak supporters† are those with the desire but not the capacity to offer significant support; â€Å"lukewarm supporters† are those that offer rhetorical but little actual tangible support; and â€Å"antagonistic supporters† are those that actually seek to control or even weaken the terrorist groups they appear to be supporting. Another category Byman examines is passive support, whereby states â€Å"deliberately turn a blind eye to the activities of terrorists in their countries but do not provide direct assistance.† [8] A states tolerance of or passivity toward a terrorist groups activities, he argues, is often as important to their success as any deliberate assistance they receive. Open and active state sponsorship of terrorism is rare, and it has decreased since the end of the Cold War. Yet this lack of open support does not necessarily diminish the important role that states play in fostering or hindering terrorism. 5. At times, the greatest contribution a state can make to a terrorists cause is by not policing a border, turning a blind eye to fundraising, or even Combating the Sources and Facilitators of Terrorism tolerating terrorist efforts to build their organizations, conduct operations, and survive. Passive support for terrorism can contribute to a terrorist groups success in several ways. It often allows a group to raise money, acquire arms, plan operations, and enjoy a respite from the counterattacks of the government it opposes. Passive support may also involve spreading an ideology that assists a terrorist group in its efforts to recruit new members.[9] Benefits to State Sponsored Terrorists 6. For the terrorist, the benefits of state sponsorship were even greater. Such a relationship appreciably enhanced the capabilities and operational capacity of otherwise limited terrorist groups, placing at their disposal the resources of an established nation-states entire diplomatic, military, and intelligence apparatus and thus greatly facilitating planning and intelligence. The logistical support provided by states assured the terrorists of otherwise unobtainable luxuries, such as the use of diplomatic pouches for the transport of weapons and explosives, false identification in the form of genuine passports, and the use of embassies and other diplomatic facilities as safe houses or staging bases. State sponsorship also afforded terrorists greater training opportunities; thus some groups were transformed into entities more akin to elite commando units than to the stereotypical conspiratorial cell of anarchists wielding Molotov cocktails or radicals manufacturing crude pipe bombs. Finally, terrorists were often paid handsomely for their services, turning hitherto financially destitute entities into well-endowed organizations with investment profiles and healthy balance sheets.[10] The Four Stages of Terrorism 7. The terrorist tactics though essentially focuses on creating terror through violence has evolved over a period of time. 1980s-1990s: Era of backyard Islamicist Struggles 8. During this time the focus was on overthrowing specific regions, like the non democratic governments of Algeria and Egypt, or fighting countries seen to be occupying Muslim lands like Israel and India. (a) Spectacular Example. Assassination of Anwar Sadat of Egypt in 1981 was probably the most famous terrorist act of this period. (b) Preferred Tactics. Mimicking the methods of secular left wing and nationalist terrorist groups like the Palestinian Fatah or the Irish Republican Army. This generally involved hijacking of aircraft, assassination of political s and kidnapping of foreigners. Few of these attacks had much of a ripple outside the region that they took place. These acts were largely seen as a local law and order issue rather than an international menace. 1990s- 2001: Rise of Spectacular Jihad 9. This period saw the arrival of Osama Bin Laden and the Egyptian Ayman al Zawahri on the scene. These men argued that local islamicist struggles need to combine force so they can replicate soviet defeat in Afghanistan. (a) Successful Attack. 9/11, the worlds most lethal and media-friendly terrorist attack. It was preceded by attacks on US warships and embassies in Africa and Persian gulf. (b) Preferred Tactics. 9/11 stamps suicide bombing as the preferred jihadi tactic but also raised the bar on how spectacular the attack must be From roughly 2002 onwards there was a huge surge in suicide bombings across the world, spreading into places like Kashmir, Chechnya and so on where they had previously been rare. 2001-2007: Maturing of Local Guerrilla Terrorism 10. Losing its Afghan base al Qaeda turned to local jihad affiliates to keep up the momentum of attack. Transit attacks in Madrid and London took place. But US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan provided a new outlet for jihadi wrath. Abu Musab al Zarqawi replaced Bin Laden as the terrorist of the moment. (a) Successful Attack. The entire campaign against US military in Iraq which soured the US public to the war and lead to a consensus on the need for the US to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible. (b) Preferred Tactics. In Europe it was bomb in the bus or terror on the train. In Iraq it is a more straight forward guerilla style war with roadside explosives devices, suicide bombers. Zarqawi introduced shocking media footage such as the execution video of Daniel Pearl. 2008: Possible start of Global Terrorism 11. Suicide Bombing hurts al Qaeda Sentiment among mainstream Islam. Surveys have shown declining support for such tactics since 2005 onwards. Further it is getting increasingly ineffective against new security methods and in terms of winning media attention. (a) Tactical Experiment. The use of small bands of suicide fighters, trained like professional soldiers, who simultaneously strike local and global targets. Mumbai is now being seen as the most intricately coordinated and most successful islamicist terrorist attack since 9/11. This could well be the dawn of new era of such terrorism. [11] Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER IV CROSS BORDER TERRORISM : AN ALTERNATIVE MILITARY STRATEGY â€Å"In the South Asian context, talks on conventional military confidence building cannot be divorced from terrorism. The route of the escalatory process is militancy.† BHARAT KARNAD 1. The Pakistani military leadership believes the terrorist threat is an incentive to India to come to the negotiating table; without it India will simply ignore Pakistans calls for a resolution of the issue. Terrorism also poisons Hindu-Muslim relations and weakens the foundations of Indias secularism. It affects the image of India as an investment destination, which would explain the terror attacks in cities like Bangalore and Mumbai. It panders to extremist lobbies within Pakistan whose declared ambition is to break up India from within. The repeated attacks on Hindu religious places is intended to provoke a communal backlash against the Muslims, in the expectation that this will engender greater Muslim alienation, leading eventually to the tearing up of the social fabric of India.[12] 2. Terrorism has become an institution in Pakistan and has widespread support. Its army and intelligence services consider it a strategic weapon. After each terrorist strike, the Pakistani government cleverly dodges international pressure by temporarily clamping down on terrorism until the focus shifts away. It never completely eliminates this menace.[13] 3. Post Mumbai, Ironic as it may seem the Pakistan Army has gained in an important way. The crisis has gone some way in building bridges between the militant groups and the Pakistan military. Their historical relationship, which had broken down in several ways, is on the mend. Taliban groups in the tribal areas battling Pakistani security forces offered ceasefires so that troops could devote all their energies on what was built up as a coming war on the eastern front. They even offered to fight alongside the troops against India. [14] Cost to Pakistan to Support Cross Border Terrorism 4. Pakistan officially accepts that it is providing diplomatic, political and moral support to Kashmiri militants. However, it is now internationally accepted that the Pakistan army and the ISI Directorate are providing military training, weapons, military equipment, ammunition and explosives to the militants, besides financial support. The ISI spends approximately Rs 5 Crore per month for its proxy war campaign. The Pakistan Army also actively assists the militants to infiltrate into jK by engaging Indian posts on the LC along the routes of infiltration with artillery and small arms fireand provides a large number of officers to lead the militants.[15] The Pak ‘Terror Machine 5. How did the present day terror infrastructure originate? The answer this question can be found in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The invasion provided Pakistan Army an opportunity to reconstruct its professional image which had considerably tarnished as a consequence of 1971 war and dismemberment of Pakistan. In 1981, when the Reagan administration agreed to support the Afghan Mujahideen and US military assistance to Pakistan began to filter in. It helped the military to build its professional image. The planning and coordination of Afghan resistance movement was done in close collaboration with US intelligence agencies and the Inter Service Intelligence(ISI) of Pakistan. While supporting, training and organizing the various Afghan Guerrilla Bands the ISI built its reputation and skills as a professional organisation. In the process, the ISI enhanced its intelligence and surveillance capabilities. The Zia regime at that time also availed this opportunity to embark on a program to modernize the armed forces of Pakistan. The regime was able to strike a deal with Reagan administration for the procurement of sophisticated F-16 fighter planes. It was also able to procure some artillery and armoured equipment for the army. Consequently the Afghan war and US military aid did facilitate the moderenisation of the Pakistan military. This helped the Military to bolster its professional image.[16] 6. Neither the Americans, stung and exhausted after the wars of the CIA and the armed forces in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, nor the Saudis, who hate to get involved in fighting anywhere, wanted to commit their own forces. So they let Pakistans ISI do the donkey work. The ISI, controlled directly by President Zia al-Haq and influenced on the ground by affluent Arab organizations close to the Muslim Brothers and Pakistans Islamist groups, ran the war against the Russians. Many billions of dollars to fund it came from the United States, the Saudi treasury, and finally as the conflict was winding down, from the resources of financiers like the Saudi construction tycoon Osama bin Laden, who effectively privatized global terrorism in the 1990s.[17] 7. The fundamentalist groups which were trained initially for Afghan war were indoctrinated to believe that it is their religious duty to kill unbelievers and their supporters wherever they are found. Funded by the ISI and religion- based political parties of Pakistan, they are armed with sophisticated weaponery.[18] It is well known that the ISI had surreptitiously siphoned off up to 40-50 % of the weapons supplied by the CIA for use by the Afghan Mujahideen against Russia. These weapons have eventually found their way into JK.[19] It is not as well known that towards the end of Afghan resistance against Russian occupation, ‘mullah warlords had taken over the cultivation and processing of poppy along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Since then, the illicit trade in narcotics has been generating hefty profits. These are being ploughed into fuelling terrorism in JK and in supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan. This vicious politician-mulla-ISI-army racket suited the ruling elite in Pakistan and is a major cause of continuing war in Afghanistan and terrorism in Kashmir.[20] 8. The sketch below shows the movement of CIA/ISI trained guerrillas out of Afghanistan after driving out Soviet Union from Afghanistan. Islamic Fundamentalism Pak Army 9. From the early days, the secular apolitical army that the British left behind deviated in Pakistan from the basic tenets of professionalism and began to intervene in politics and governance aided by the bureaucratic class( later to be simply used by the army) and the incompetence of the political elites. The army defined the parameters of national policy and the means by which it was to be pursued even when it was not in direct control of state. It also began from the very beginning to rely on clandestine covert war, executed through multiple means and tactics, while following up with traditional professional military forces for a coup de grace when it wanted.[21] 10. When General Zia ul Haq came to power he did not take too long to reveal his religious political outlook. He was brisk in replacing the Jinnahs motto of Pakistan Army- Unity, Faith Discipline with Faith, Piety Holy War (Jihad).[22] In his opening speech, after the take over he, extended two reasons for military intervention. Firstly the country was on threshold of a civil war. Secondly Islam had not been effectively put into practice in Pakistani society.[23] Zia ul Haq after assuming power lent his support and affinity with the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) protest movement. PNA was an alliance of nine parties to throw out Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and they promised to bring back Islamic laws. â€Å"I must say that the spirit of Islam, demonstrated during the recent movement was commendable. It proves that Pakistan, which was created in the name of Islam, will continue to survive only if it sticks to Islam. That is why I consider the introduction of Islamic system as an essentia l pre-requisite for the country.†[24] 11. The army has seen itself for the last three decades or more as the defender of not only of the physical frontiers but also of ideological frontiers of the state, conceptualized on the foundations of exclusivity of religion. It has inevitably been increasingly ‘islamised which at one level enhanced internal cohesion and motivation to fight and at another created a spectre of potential discord within the army.[25] 12. In 1976, the Pakistan army had amended its secular motto to include the term ‘jihad in it. All the eight groups of irregular resistance fighters that it equipped and trained for the war in Afghanistan during the 1980s were called ‘Mujahideen- those who carry out jihad.[26] The military-dominated state has used jihad, which is intrinsic to faith and ethics in Islam, to advance its strategic, economic, and political ends. Such a shrewd strategic vision, backed by political denial and policies of economic exclusion, violates elementary Islamic principles of equity and justice. The army has capitalised on the jehadi industry to further ensconce itself in the power structure.[27] Role of ISI 13. The Inter Services Intelligence(ISI) of Pakistan and the inter services public relations are officially under the ministry of defence. In reality, the ISI functions under direct control of Pak Army and its Chief is answerable to the military leaders. The ISI does not report to the civilian authority, even when there is a democratically elected government. The ISI enjoys a unique status in the infrastructure of the Pakistani establishment. It is not an ordinary intelligence apparatus of the state. It has emerged as a fulcrum of Islamic jihadist operations of the state of Pakistan and jihadist tanzeems created by the state. 14. The ISI devoted two full wings of its establishment for carrying out operations inside India. The joint intelligence miscellaneous (JIM) and the joint intelligence north (JIN) are reported to be responsible for directing the Indian operations of the ISI. Whole other wings of the ISI are known to play supportive roles. The JIX often came to the notice of the Indian agencies for coordinating special operations inside India. The Pakistan IB, unlike Indian IB, is not totally barred from conducting operations in selected foreign countries. For Indian targets they are allowed to conduct certain shallow penetration trans-border operations as well as assigned high commission based operations.[28] The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and ISI 15. The Lashkars nexus with the ISI is well established. â€Å"LeT had worked in close coordination with the ISI, which also provided support to launch the militants across the border† Dr. Khalid Mehmood Soomroo of the Jamiat-e-Islam asks: â€Å"Is there a single militant training centre in Pakistan which can operate without the consent of the Pakistan army?† The are numerous training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). Zahab and Roy mention three, the principal one being Um al-Qura at Muzaffarabad. Five hundred mujahids are trained here every month.[29] Moreover, India has been victimized by a host of militant groups based in and supported by Pakistan for decades. With the possible exception of the militant groups associated with Jamaat-Islami, the so-called Kashmir tanzeems have been raised, nurtured, assisted, and trained by the ISI.[30] As such, these groups are not strictly non state actors but rather extensions of the state intelligence apparatus, albeit wit h some degree of plausible deniability. 16. Groups that were previously limited to the Kashmir expanded into the Indian hinterland following the 1998 nuclear tests. Notable attacks included the 2000 LeT attack on the Red Fort, the 2001 Jaish-e-Muhamad (JeM) attack on the Indian parliament, the 2006 LeT Mumbai rail system attack, and numerous other attacks by LeT or JeM throughout India. In addition, in 2000, LeT introduced the fidayeen (high-risk suicide commando) operation in Kashmir and has since used it throughout India.[31] 17. LeT is still considered to be an important asset in Pakistans quest to secure its regional objectives and because it, unlike the proliferating morass of Deobandi groups, has never targeted the state.[32] Civil-Military Power Relationship in Pakistan 18. As a ruler Zia left Pakistan turbulent and rife with sectarian and ethnic tensions. Political parties were weak and divided. In such a divided polity the military was not merely the hegemonic, but also the only institution that had grown, expanded and emerged as the arbitrator in defining power relations among various contending power groups. Having established its hegemony in political system the military was poised to search for redefining its role in the post Zia era.[33] Military Hegemony has emerged as the most dominant and durable character of Pakistans political system. Hegemony was achieved through four process (a) Promotion of the â€Å"corporate interests† of military. (b) Political exclusion i.e. exclusion of political leaders, political parties and urban middle class. (c) Political control, i.e. control of the press and labour. (d) Political inclusion, i.e. co-optation and consolidation of bureaucratic elites, financial industrial groups and feudal classes.[34] Govt and Pak Army Today 19.Fast forward to the present and today as a result of the tumultuous political developments in Pakistan during 2007-08 leading to the historic 2008 elections, the Pak Army is under pressure but has not lost its power. It may go back to its old ways when the situation calms down. Pakistan is still far from having a genuinely democratic government that wields effective power. A tug-of-war is underway. It is not ruled out that spate of terrorist acts and destructive activities against india are intended to show up the ineffectiveness of the Pakistans civilian government and create suspicions in India about its bonafides, and the way for the Pak Army to reassert itself openly in Pakistans political arena[35] 20. While Musharrafs departure has reduced the visible level of involvement of the Pakistan Army in affairs of state, it has by no means reduced its stature as a major domestic force and one of the key pillars of governance in the country. It can safely be expected that the weakness and instability of the political coalition will bestow greater significance on the domestic role of the Pakistan Army and could even see the coalition in Islamabad acceding to all â€Å"requests† of the Pakistan Army. The chance that any reluctance on the part of the elected politicians to digress from the path desired by the Pakistan Army may lead to yet another military coup in Pakistan is likely to prominently in the thinking of the elected leaders and could well force them to acquiesce to the desires of the Pakistan Army. In some ways, this would highlight a paradox that has continued to in Pakistani politics the departure of a strong albeit despised military ruler from the corridors of power has once again presented the all-powerful Pakistan Army with yet another opportunity for calling the shots in Islamabad. The power and influence that the Pakistan Army continues to enjoy became fairly evident when Prime Minister Gillanis government had to revoke an order placing the powerful ISI under the Ministry of Interior within six hours of its issuance, primarily due to pressure from the Army.[36] Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER V PAK ARMY SPONSORED CROSS BORDER TERRORISM â€Å"The terrible thing about terrorism is that ultimately it destroys those who practise it. Slowly but surely, as they try to extinguish life in others, the light within them dies.† TERRY WAITE, London Guardian, Feb. 20, 1992 1. The Pak Army is now inextricably involved in exporting terrorism to India. A cosy relationship has developed at the functional level between the local army commanders, the drug mafia, the politicians, the bureaucrats, the police, and the mullahs who supply young recruits as cannon fodder for the so called jihad in Kashmir. It suits everyones vested interests to keep the pot boiling. The vigorous advocacy of jihad provides a share in spoils of the narcotics booty. Power and pelf make a potent cocktail; this heady mixture is an extremely motivating incentive for institutionalizing the perpetuation of a proxy war against India. Hence, no matter what incentives India offers, there is likely to be no let up in the ongoing hostilities. [37] Pak Sponsored Terrorism in JK 2. The ISI had initiated the Proxy war in JK in 1989-90. This campaign can be categorized in three main phases (a) The Azadi Phase (1990-1995). The ISI had raised, tr Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION â€Å"Terrorism is the price of empire. If you do not wish to pay the price, you must give up the empire.† PAT BUCHANAN, Where the Right Went Wrong 1. Six decades after its independence Pakistan continues to search for a durable and credible identity. Pakistans rulers constantly strive to show how Pakistan is equal to, if not better than India in all respects. The complex psychology of the Pakistani ruling elite is dominated by the military. Even after more than three and a half decades, the role in the creation of Bangladesh continues to rankle, with the Pak Army in search of ‘revenge for its humiliating defeat in 1971. The mindset of the Pak Army is a cocktail of arrogance and brashness, at times bordering on cockiness, which becomes even more potent with the addition of a measure of a fundamentalism. 2. The Pak Army sees itself as the dominant power in Pakistan has always enjoyed a larger than life status in socio-political fabric of the country. Democratic regimes have not survived and people represented institutions remain weak in Pakistan. It is difficult to comment authoritatively on whether it is the weak political leadership which is responsible for the democratic failures or the overpowering army which has led to military coups in Pakistan. However, what is certain is this, whenever the position of Pak Army has got threatened they have managed to come back into focus as ‘saviours of the nation by destabilising the Indo-Pak relations. 3. The Pak Armys single minded pursuit of its proxy war for over a decade clearly indicates its long-term game planned to destabilize India by keeping the pot boiling in Kashmir, keeping the Indian Army and other security forces embroiled in counter insurgency operations and, more recently, to extend the area of engagement to other parts of India through wanton acts of terrorism in or around high value targets. In short the Pak Armys strategy is to bleed India through a thousand cuts. For Pak Army it is a win-win situation as there is an element of deniability about its involvement. The Pakistani Generals, are convinced that their bleed-India strategy is a low-cost, high pay off option for Pakistan and, therefore, they are loathe to give it up.[1] What Gives Pak Army Confidence to Wage Covert War? 4. A brutal confidence underlies Pakistans continuing commitment to a strategy of waging war by proxy. This confidence is founded on two pillars. The first is the belief in the Pakistan Armys ability to crush any insurgency if it really decides to do so. This conviction was expressed most clearly in General Pervez Musharrafs statement in 2005 to the insurgents in Balochistan that he would sort them out and that they wont know what hit them. 5. The second source of confidence is Pakistans nuclear weapons. Many in Pakistans army and political leadership believe that these weapons protect Pakistan from the outside world. Indian restraint during both the 1999 Kargil War and during the 2001-2002 OP PARAKRAM after the militant attack on Indias Parliament, is an evidence of the power of Pakistans nuclear card. This was evident again after the Mumbai attacks on 26 Nov 2008.[2] 6. Many—if not all—of the militant groups active in JK have enjoyed the specific patronage of the Pakistani state intelligence and military agencies to prosecute Islamabads interests in India.[3] 7. This dissertation seeks to carry out a study of the conduct of cross border terrorism by Pak Army, estimate its future contours suggest suitable responses. Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER II METHODOLOGY â€Å"Terrorism is the tactic of demanding the impossible, and demanding it at gunpoint.† CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS, Terrorism: Notes Toward a Definition Statement of the Problem 1. To identify analyse role of Pak Army in creating dissonance in Indo- Pak relations by sponsoring cross border terrorism against India. To suggest Indias response to counter this threat. Hypothesis 2. With power now in hands of civilian establishment the Pak Army is finding itself in a vulnerable position and is gradually losing its commanding status. To regain their image as ‘guardian angels of the country they are resorting to destabilising Indo-Pak relations by triggering violent terror incidents. 3. The Pak Army attributes all such incidents as being carried out by ‘non-state actors and ‘freedom fighters, while the truth is that Pak Army along with ISI is directly involved in promoting cross border terrorism. Justification of the Study 4. Pak Army continues unabated in its quest to destabilise India through covert means. The investigations into the recent attacks in Mumbai have also revealed a clear link between the Pak Army and the non- state actors and yet the true propagators (read ISI) of the violence are yet to be brought to book. The more India talks in front of the whole world about it, the more denials come from Pakistan, in the light of these facts, it is essential that India must take concrete steps to counter Pak Army support to terrorists who wage covert war against India also unveil its true colours to the world community. Scope 5. The focus of this study is on Pak Armys use of radical Islamic Fundamentalism terrorism as a military strategy to create dissonance in Indo-Pak relations. The emphasis is on role of Pak Army in the recent Mumbai attacks. The study further analyses the likely contours of future covert war methods and concludes by suggesting various options with India to counter the new emerging threat. The dissertation does not cover Pak Army role in raising the ‘Taliban and its so called ongoing war against terrorism and only concentrate on the events and actions that destabilise Indo- Pak relations. Method of Data Collection 6. The source of this dissertation has been the books, periodicals and articles available in the library of Defence Services Staff College. The web sites of IDSA, USI, and several other Indian dailies on the Internet also have been a great help. The bibliography is appended at the end of the text. Organisation of study 7. It is proposed to study the subject by analysing and evaluating the following aspects:- (a) Understanding terrorism. (b) Cross Border Terrorism: An Alternative Military Strategy. (c) Pak Army Sponsored Cross Border Terrorism. (d) Future Contours Suggested Responses. (e) Conclusion. Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER III UNDERSTANDING TERRORISM â€Å"In an interconnected world, the defeat of international terrorism and most importantly, the prevention of these terrorist organizations from obtaining weapons of mass destruction will require the cooperation of many nations. We must always reserve the right to strike unilaterally at terrorists wherever they may exist. But we should know that our success in doing so is enhanced by engaging our allies so that we receive the crucial diplomatic, military, intelligence, and financial support that can lighten our load and add legitimacy to our actions. This means talking to our friends and, at times, even our enemies.† BARACK OBAMA Defining Terrorism 1. Virtually any especially abhorrent act of violence perceived as directed against society—whether it involves the activities of antigovernment dissidents or governments themselves, organized-crime syndicates, common criminals, rioting mobs, people engaged in militant protest, individual psychotics, or lone extortionists—is often labeled â€Å"terrorism.† 2. Terrorism, in the most widely accepted contemporary usage of the term, is fundamentally and inherently political. It is also ineluctably about power: the pursuit of power, the acquisition of power, and the use of power to achieve political change. Terrorism is thus violence—or, equally important, the threat of violence—used and directed in pursuit of, or in service of, apolitical aim.[4] State Sponsored Terrorism 3. One of the most authoritative studies by Daniel Byman, a leading scholar on terrorism defines state sponsorship as â€Å"a governments intentional assistance to a terrorist group to help it use violence, bolster its political activities, or sustain [its] organization.† [5]His research identifies six areas in which states provide support to terrorists—training and operations; money, arms, and logistics; diplomatic backing; organizational assistance; ideological direction; and (perhaps most importantly) sanctuary.[6] Byman argues that terrorist groups which receive significant amounts of state support are far more difficult to counter and destroy than those which do not.[7] 4. However, it is also important to note that there are several types of state sponsorship of terrorism: â€Å"strong supporters† are states with both the desire and the capacity to support terrorist groups; â€Å"weak supporters† are those with the desire but not the capacity to offer significant support; â€Å"lukewarm supporters† are those that offer rhetorical but little actual tangible support; and â€Å"antagonistic supporters† are those that actually seek to control or even weaken the terrorist groups they appear to be supporting. Another category Byman examines is passive support, whereby states â€Å"deliberately turn a blind eye to the activities of terrorists in their countries but do not provide direct assistance.† [8] A states tolerance of or passivity toward a terrorist groups activities, he argues, is often as important to their success as any deliberate assistance they receive. Open and active state sponsorship of terrorism is rare, and it has decreased since the end of the Cold War. Yet this lack of open support does not necessarily diminish the important role that states play in fostering or hindering terrorism. 5. At times, the greatest contribution a state can make to a terrorists cause is by not policing a border, turning a blind eye to fundraising, or even Combating the Sources and Facilitators of Terrorism tolerating terrorist efforts to build their organizations, conduct operations, and survive. Passive support for terrorism can contribute to a terrorist groups success in several ways. It often allows a group to raise money, acquire arms, plan operations, and enjoy a respite from the counterattacks of the government it opposes. Passive support may also involve spreading an ideology that assists a terrorist group in its efforts to recruit new members.[9] Benefits to State Sponsored Terrorists 6. For the terrorist, the benefits of state sponsorship were even greater. Such a relationship appreciably enhanced the capabilities and operational capacity of otherwise limited terrorist groups, placing at their disposal the resources of an established nation-states entire diplomatic, military, and intelligence apparatus and thus greatly facilitating planning and intelligence. The logistical support provided by states assured the terrorists of otherwise unobtainable luxuries, such as the use of diplomatic pouches for the transport of weapons and explosives, false identification in the form of genuine passports, and the use of embassies and other diplomatic facilities as safe houses or staging bases. State sponsorship also afforded terrorists greater training opportunities; thus some groups were transformed into entities more akin to elite commando units than to the stereotypical conspiratorial cell of anarchists wielding Molotov cocktails or radicals manufacturing crude pipe bombs. Finally, terrorists were often paid handsomely for their services, turning hitherto financially destitute entities into well-endowed organizations with investment profiles and healthy balance sheets.[10] The Four Stages of Terrorism 7. The terrorist tactics though essentially focuses on creating terror through violence has evolved over a period of time. 1980s-1990s: Era of backyard Islamicist Struggles 8. During this time the focus was on overthrowing specific regions, like the non democratic governments of Algeria and Egypt, or fighting countries seen to be occupying Muslim lands like Israel and India. (a) Spectacular Example. Assassination of Anwar Sadat of Egypt in 1981 was probably the most famous terrorist act of this period. (b) Preferred Tactics. Mimicking the methods of secular left wing and nationalist terrorist groups like the Palestinian Fatah or the Irish Republican Army. This generally involved hijacking of aircraft, assassination of political s and kidnapping of foreigners. Few of these attacks had much of a ripple outside the region that they took place. These acts were largely seen as a local law and order issue rather than an international menace. 1990s- 2001: Rise of Spectacular Jihad 9. This period saw the arrival of Osama Bin Laden and the Egyptian Ayman al Zawahri on the scene. These men argued that local islamicist struggles need to combine force so they can replicate soviet defeat in Afghanistan. (a) Successful Attack. 9/11, the worlds most lethal and media-friendly terrorist attack. It was preceded by attacks on US warships and embassies in Africa and Persian gulf. (b) Preferred Tactics. 9/11 stamps suicide bombing as the preferred jihadi tactic but also raised the bar on how spectacular the attack must be From roughly 2002 onwards there was a huge surge in suicide bombings across the world, spreading into places like Kashmir, Chechnya and so on where they had previously been rare. 2001-2007: Maturing of Local Guerrilla Terrorism 10. Losing its Afghan base al Qaeda turned to local jihad affiliates to keep up the momentum of attack. Transit attacks in Madrid and London took place. But US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan provided a new outlet for jihadi wrath. Abu Musab al Zarqawi replaced Bin Laden as the terrorist of the moment. (a) Successful Attack. The entire campaign against US military in Iraq which soured the US public to the war and lead to a consensus on the need for the US to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible. (b) Preferred Tactics. In Europe it was bomb in the bus or terror on the train. In Iraq it is a more straight forward guerilla style war with roadside explosives devices, suicide bombers. Zarqawi introduced shocking media footage such as the execution video of Daniel Pearl. 2008: Possible start of Global Terrorism 11. Suicide Bombing hurts al Qaeda Sentiment among mainstream Islam. Surveys have shown declining support for such tactics since 2005 onwards. Further it is getting increasingly ineffective against new security methods and in terms of winning media attention. (a) Tactical Experiment. The use of small bands of suicide fighters, trained like professional soldiers, who simultaneously strike local and global targets. Mumbai is now being seen as the most intricately coordinated and most successful islamicist terrorist attack since 9/11. This could well be the dawn of new era of such terrorism. [11] Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER IV CROSS BORDER TERRORISM : AN ALTERNATIVE MILITARY STRATEGY â€Å"In the South Asian context, talks on conventional military confidence building cannot be divorced from terrorism. The route of the escalatory process is militancy.† BHARAT KARNAD 1. The Pakistani military leadership believes the terrorist threat is an incentive to India to come to the negotiating table; without it India will simply ignore Pakistans calls for a resolution of the issue. Terrorism also poisons Hindu-Muslim relations and weakens the foundations of Indias secularism. It affects the image of India as an investment destination, which would explain the terror attacks in cities like Bangalore and Mumbai. It panders to extremist lobbies within Pakistan whose declared ambition is to break up India from within. The repeated attacks on Hindu religious places is intended to provoke a communal backlash against the Muslims, in the expectation that this will engender greater Muslim alienation, leading eventually to the tearing up of the social fabric of India.[12] 2. Terrorism has become an institution in Pakistan and has widespread support. Its army and intelligence services consider it a strategic weapon. After each terrorist strike, the Pakistani government cleverly dodges international pressure by temporarily clamping down on terrorism until the focus shifts away. It never completely eliminates this menace.[13] 3. Post Mumbai, Ironic as it may seem the Pakistan Army has gained in an important way. The crisis has gone some way in building bridges between the militant groups and the Pakistan military. Their historical relationship, which had broken down in several ways, is on the mend. Taliban groups in the tribal areas battling Pakistani security forces offered ceasefires so that troops could devote all their energies on what was built up as a coming war on the eastern front. They even offered to fight alongside the troops against India. [14] Cost to Pakistan to Support Cross Border Terrorism 4. Pakistan officially accepts that it is providing diplomatic, political and moral support to Kashmiri militants. However, it is now internationally accepted that the Pakistan army and the ISI Directorate are providing military training, weapons, military equipment, ammunition and explosives to the militants, besides financial support. The ISI spends approximately Rs 5 Crore per month for its proxy war campaign. The Pakistan Army also actively assists the militants to infiltrate into jK by engaging Indian posts on the LC along the routes of infiltration with artillery and small arms fireand provides a large number of officers to lead the militants.[15] The Pak ‘Terror Machine 5. How did the present day terror infrastructure originate? The answer this question can be found in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The invasion provided Pakistan Army an opportunity to reconstruct its professional image which had considerably tarnished as a consequence of 1971 war and dismemberment of Pakistan. In 1981, when the Reagan administration agreed to support the Afghan Mujahideen and US military assistance to Pakistan began to filter in. It helped the military to build its professional image. The planning and coordination of Afghan resistance movement was done in close collaboration with US intelligence agencies and the Inter Service Intelligence(ISI) of Pakistan. While supporting, training and organizing the various Afghan Guerrilla Bands the ISI built its reputation and skills as a professional organisation. In the process, the ISI enhanced its intelligence and surveillance capabilities. The Zia regime at that time also availed this opportunity to embark on a program to modernize the armed forces of Pakistan. The regime was able to strike a deal with Reagan administration for the procurement of sophisticated F-16 fighter planes. It was also able to procure some artillery and armoured equipment for the army. Consequently the Afghan war and US military aid did facilitate the moderenisation of the Pakistan military. This helped the Military to bolster its professional image.[16] 6. Neither the Americans, stung and exhausted after the wars of the CIA and the armed forces in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, nor the Saudis, who hate to get involved in fighting anywhere, wanted to commit their own forces. So they let Pakistans ISI do the donkey work. The ISI, controlled directly by President Zia al-Haq and influenced on the ground by affluent Arab organizations close to the Muslim Brothers and Pakistans Islamist groups, ran the war against the Russians. Many billions of dollars to fund it came from the United States, the Saudi treasury, and finally as the conflict was winding down, from the resources of financiers like the Saudi construction tycoon Osama bin Laden, who effectively privatized global terrorism in the 1990s.[17] 7. The fundamentalist groups which were trained initially for Afghan war were indoctrinated to believe that it is their religious duty to kill unbelievers and their supporters wherever they are found. Funded by the ISI and religion- based political parties of Pakistan, they are armed with sophisticated weaponery.[18] It is well known that the ISI had surreptitiously siphoned off up to 40-50 % of the weapons supplied by the CIA for use by the Afghan Mujahideen against Russia. These weapons have eventually found their way into JK.[19] It is not as well known that towards the end of Afghan resistance against Russian occupation, ‘mullah warlords had taken over the cultivation and processing of poppy along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Since then, the illicit trade in narcotics has been generating hefty profits. These are being ploughed into fuelling terrorism in JK and in supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan. This vicious politician-mulla-ISI-army racket suited the ruling elite in Pakistan and is a major cause of continuing war in Afghanistan and terrorism in Kashmir.[20] 8. The sketch below shows the movement of CIA/ISI trained guerrillas out of Afghanistan after driving out Soviet Union from Afghanistan. Islamic Fundamentalism Pak Army 9. From the early days, the secular apolitical army that the British left behind deviated in Pakistan from the basic tenets of professionalism and began to intervene in politics and governance aided by the bureaucratic class( later to be simply used by the army) and the incompetence of the political elites. The army defined the parameters of national policy and the means by which it was to be pursued even when it was not in direct control of state. It also began from the very beginning to rely on clandestine covert war, executed through multiple means and tactics, while following up with traditional professional military forces for a coup de grace when it wanted.[21] 10. When General Zia ul Haq came to power he did not take too long to reveal his religious political outlook. He was brisk in replacing the Jinnahs motto of Pakistan Army- Unity, Faith Discipline with Faith, Piety Holy War (Jihad).[22] In his opening speech, after the take over he, extended two reasons for military intervention. Firstly the country was on threshold of a civil war. Secondly Islam had not been effectively put into practice in Pakistani society.[23] Zia ul Haq after assuming power lent his support and affinity with the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) protest movement. PNA was an alliance of nine parties to throw out Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and they promised to bring back Islamic laws. â€Å"I must say that the spirit of Islam, demonstrated during the recent movement was commendable. It proves that Pakistan, which was created in the name of Islam, will continue to survive only if it sticks to Islam. That is why I consider the introduction of Islamic system as an essentia l pre-requisite for the country.†[24] 11. The army has seen itself for the last three decades or more as the defender of not only of the physical frontiers but also of ideological frontiers of the state, conceptualized on the foundations of exclusivity of religion. It has inevitably been increasingly ‘islamised which at one level enhanced internal cohesion and motivation to fight and at another created a spectre of potential discord within the army.[25] 12. In 1976, the Pakistan army had amended its secular motto to include the term ‘jihad in it. All the eight groups of irregular resistance fighters that it equipped and trained for the war in Afghanistan during the 1980s were called ‘Mujahideen- those who carry out jihad.[26] The military-dominated state has used jihad, which is intrinsic to faith and ethics in Islam, to advance its strategic, economic, and political ends. Such a shrewd strategic vision, backed by political denial and policies of economic exclusion, violates elementary Islamic principles of equity and justice. The army has capitalised on the jehadi industry to further ensconce itself in the power structure.[27] Role of ISI 13. The Inter Services Intelligence(ISI) of Pakistan and the inter services public relations are officially under the ministry of defence. In reality, the ISI functions under direct control of Pak Army and its Chief is answerable to the military leaders. The ISI does not report to the civilian authority, even when there is a democratically elected government. The ISI enjoys a unique status in the infrastructure of the Pakistani establishment. It is not an ordinary intelligence apparatus of the state. It has emerged as a fulcrum of Islamic jihadist operations of the state of Pakistan and jihadist tanzeems created by the state. 14. The ISI devoted two full wings of its establishment for carrying out operations inside India. The joint intelligence miscellaneous (JIM) and the joint intelligence north (JIN) are reported to be responsible for directing the Indian operations of the ISI. Whole other wings of the ISI are known to play supportive roles. The JIX often came to the notice of the Indian agencies for coordinating special operations inside India. The Pakistan IB, unlike Indian IB, is not totally barred from conducting operations in selected foreign countries. For Indian targets they are allowed to conduct certain shallow penetration trans-border operations as well as assigned high commission based operations.[28] The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and ISI 15. The Lashkars nexus with the ISI is well established. â€Å"LeT had worked in close coordination with the ISI, which also provided support to launch the militants across the border† Dr. Khalid Mehmood Soomroo of the Jamiat-e-Islam asks: â€Å"Is there a single militant training centre in Pakistan which can operate without the consent of the Pakistan army?† The are numerous training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). Zahab and Roy mention three, the principal one being Um al-Qura at Muzaffarabad. Five hundred mujahids are trained here every month.[29] Moreover, India has been victimized by a host of militant groups based in and supported by Pakistan for decades. With the possible exception of the militant groups associated with Jamaat-Islami, the so-called Kashmir tanzeems have been raised, nurtured, assisted, and trained by the ISI.[30] As such, these groups are not strictly non state actors but rather extensions of the state intelligence apparatus, albeit wit h some degree of plausible deniability. 16. Groups that were previously limited to the Kashmir expanded into the Indian hinterland following the 1998 nuclear tests. Notable attacks included the 2000 LeT attack on the Red Fort, the 2001 Jaish-e-Muhamad (JeM) attack on the Indian parliament, the 2006 LeT Mumbai rail system attack, and numerous other attacks by LeT or JeM throughout India. In addition, in 2000, LeT introduced the fidayeen (high-risk suicide commando) operation in Kashmir and has since used it throughout India.[31] 17. LeT is still considered to be an important asset in Pakistans quest to secure its regional objectives and because it, unlike the proliferating morass of Deobandi groups, has never targeted the state.[32] Civil-Military Power Relationship in Pakistan 18. As a ruler Zia left Pakistan turbulent and rife with sectarian and ethnic tensions. Political parties were weak and divided. In such a divided polity the military was not merely the hegemonic, but also the only institution that had grown, expanded and emerged as the arbitrator in defining power relations among various contending power groups. Having established its hegemony in political system the military was poised to search for redefining its role in the post Zia era.[33] Military Hegemony has emerged as the most dominant and durable character of Pakistans political system. Hegemony was achieved through four process (a) Promotion of the â€Å"corporate interests† of military. (b) Political exclusion i.e. exclusion of political leaders, political parties and urban middle class. (c) Political control, i.e. control of the press and labour. (d) Political inclusion, i.e. co-optation and consolidation of bureaucratic elites, financial industrial groups and feudal classes.[34] Govt and Pak Army Today 19.Fast forward to the present and today as a result of the tumultuous political developments in Pakistan during 2007-08 leading to the historic 2008 elections, the Pak Army is under pressure but has not lost its power. It may go back to its old ways when the situation calms down. Pakistan is still far from having a genuinely democratic government that wields effective power. A tug-of-war is underway. It is not ruled out that spate of terrorist acts and destructive activities against india are intended to show up the ineffectiveness of the Pakistans civilian government and create suspicions in India about its bonafides, and the way for the Pak Army to reassert itself openly in Pakistans political arena[35] 20. While Musharrafs departure has reduced the visible level of involvement of the Pakistan Army in affairs of state, it has by no means reduced its stature as a major domestic force and one of the key pillars of governance in the country. It can safely be expected that the weakness and instability of the political coalition will bestow greater significance on the domestic role of the Pakistan Army and could even see the coalition in Islamabad acceding to all â€Å"requests† of the Pakistan Army. The chance that any reluctance on the part of the elected politicians to digress from the path desired by the Pakistan Army may lead to yet another military coup in Pakistan is likely to prominently in the thinking of the elected leaders and could well force them to acquiesce to the desires of the Pakistan Army. In some ways, this would highlight a paradox that has continued to in Pakistani politics the departure of a strong albeit despised military ruler from the corridors of power has once again presented the all-powerful Pakistan Army with yet another opportunity for calling the shots in Islamabad. The power and influence that the Pakistan Army continues to enjoy became fairly evident when Prime Minister Gillanis government had to revoke an order placing the powerful ISI under the Ministry of Interior within six hours of its issuance, primarily due to pressure from the Army.[36] Cross Border Terrorism Sponsored by Pak Army and Suggested Indian response CHAPTER V PAK ARMY SPONSORED CROSS BORDER TERRORISM â€Å"The terrible thing about terrorism is that ultimately it destroys those who practise it. Slowly but surely, as they try to extinguish life in others, the light within them dies.† TERRY WAITE, London Guardian, Feb. 20, 1992 1. The Pak Army is now inextricably involved in exporting terrorism to India. A cosy relationship has developed at the functional level between the local army commanders, the drug mafia, the politicians, the bureaucrats, the police, and the mullahs who supply young recruits as cannon fodder for the so called jihad in Kashmir. It suits everyones vested interests to keep the pot boiling. The vigorous advocacy of jihad provides a share in spoils of the narcotics booty. Power and pelf make a potent cocktail; this heady mixture is an extremely motivating incentive for institutionalizing the perpetuation of a proxy war against India. Hence, no matter what incentives India offers, there is likely to be no let up in the ongoing hostilities. [37] Pak Sponsored Terrorism in JK 2. The ISI had initiated the Proxy war in JK in 1989-90. This campaign can be categorized in three main phases (a) The Azadi Phase (1990-1995). The ISI had raised, tr