Author: Stephen Philip Cohen
Rating: 3.4 out of 5
India and Pakistan- two nations who have more in common than any other two countries on this earth but still are each others arch nemesis. Both share a common history, similar culture and were not so long ago one country. So why are they fighting for what seems like eternity??
Stephen Cohen in his book "Shooting for a Century" has attempted to analyze this issue to find out its deepest roots and suggested ways in which these may be resolved. Cohen starts by detailing the history of India and Pakistan. When British government was ready to hand over power to the Indian people, Jinha and his associates asked for a separate country for Muslims and hence Pakistan came into existence. This partition was marked in blood. Blood of thousands of people-Hindus and Muslims-who lived in the partition area. Many were killed, many were lost. Many were helped by the others too but that fact is often ignored due to political pressures. On one hand, political parties spread the views of nationalism but on the other hand they had an undercurrent of mutual hatred between the two countries.
Cohen cites three major reasons for the animosity between India and Pakistan:
- Insecure and distrustful relationship.
- Both sides threatened for their identities.
- Time, both are sure that in time other will collapse.
- Both act as victims.
- Both feel morally superior to the other.
- Inability to rely on outsiders to solve the impasse.
Personally I think this issue will never be resolved. This book is quite informative and unbiased.