Benazir Bhutto 1953-2007

• People!• Almost 25% of the worlds population • Extremely high population densities• Ancient civilizations• 20th century technology• Poverty• Conflict• Prosperity • Religion

South Asia

Why is it so important?

AfghanistanAfghanistan

AfghanistanAfghanistan• Location: western most country in South Asia

• Population: 33 mill

• Capital: Kabul

• Where: tribal peoples spread throughout the mountains

• Govt: Islamic Republic

• Independence: 1919

AfghanistanAfghanistanQ: This area has been fought

over for many years and been very difficult, or impossible, to rule.

WHY?

Answers:Reason:• Landscape

– Mountainous – Landlocked – Lack of resources – Drought

Answers:

Reason:• People

– Tribal area – No majority (Pashtuns, Turkmen, Tajiks,

Uzbeks, Baluchis, Mongolian Hazaras (Shi'a), etc.)

– No real leadership

– 40% are Pashtuns; however, 4 million of them fled through the Khyber Pass, becoming refugees in Pakistan, during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s.

Answers:

Reason:• Conflict

– Soviet War – War with U.S.

Afghanistan-Afghanistan-ConflictConflict

• 19th century - British & Russians fought multiple wars over it.  They finally agreed to tolerate it as a "buffer state”

• Buffer State - cushion between 2 rival powers.

Afghanistan-ConflictAfghanistan-ConflictSoviet War:Soviet War:

• Unpopular Afghan communists took over Kabul in late 1970s, with Soviet backing.  • The weak Kabul government asked for help from USSR to institute a communist regime. 

• Soviets invaded in 1979. 

• Begins the first modern major jihad.

• U.S. supported ($) the mujahideen, jihadist, or Islamic holy warriors.(also backed by Pakistani & Saudi governments)

Afghanistan-RefugeesAfghanistan-Refugees

• Currently some 1.7 million registered Afghans in Pakistan

• Swat Valley in Pakistan recently adopted Shari’a due to popular demand in the lawless area

Why is the adoption of Islamic law in one small area big news?

UN Refugee Academy Video

• WHo: “Students of Religion”• Goal: to end Afghanistan's chronic

factionalism• When: 1994-96: Taliban - students from extremist

Islamic schools in Pakistan - took over, instituting strict Islamic law. Fell in 2001.

• What: Ended professional education and employment of women

Public amputations and stonings were part of Taliban enforcement of laws

• How: Opium money!

TalibanTaliban

Osama bin LadenOsama bin LadenAfghanistan Saudi Arabia Sudan Afghan

• Son of Saudi billionaire • Led a militia in the fighting in Afghan• Denounced Saudi govt; expelled him• Moved to Sudan; set up businesses

& terrorist training camps• Welcomed back in Afghan (Taliban)

• Founded Al Qaeda ~3,000

He declared war on the U.S.

in 1996

began attacking targets

in Yemen and East Africa,

culminating in the attack on 9/11.

Osama bin Laden-War on the U.S.

Osama Video

FamousAfghan-Girl

PakistanPakistan

“Faith, Unity, and Disciple”

PakistanPakistan • Location: South Asia

• Population: 170 million

• Capital: Islamabad

• Cities: Karachi (12 mill)

• Where: Indus River Valley

• Govt: Parliamentary

Democracy

• Independence: 1947