Deck 8: Southwest Asia

Question 1

Why have parts of South and Central Asia become so important that they cause nations to fight over them?

A) Vital trade routes between West and East run through South and Central Asia.
B) China and India have become so overpopulated that they need more land.
C) Valuable natural resources such as gold have been found in extraordinarily high quantities in those countries.
D) A large portion of the world's greatest philosophers in modern history have come from these countries. They offer significant educational opportunities.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

How did the country of Afghanistan begin?

A) Osama Bin Laden founded it in order to save himself from other countries and to find a safe haven for Al Qaeda.
B) A man united several Pashtun tribes between Pakistan and Iran, then in 1919, they gained their independence from the British.
C) It came about as a result of World War II - Afghanistan was controlled by Russia, but gained independence peacefully.
D) It was founded as a Muslim country at the breakup of the British Indian Empire.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What did the Mujahideen believe?

A) The Mujahideen believed it was their duty to defend the Middle East from the Russian invaders but remained secular as an organization.
B) The Mujahedeen hoped to inspire people to join the military in Afghanistan and became something of a propaganda group.
C) They believed they were answering a call to jihad against the godless enemies of Islam (the Soviets).
D) They wanted to revolutionize the way that people saw Islam in the Middle East by showing the world that they were fighting for what they believed in, since Islam had come to be treated very lightly.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Who were the Taliban?

A) The Taliban, like the Muslim Brotherhood, exerted their influence mostly in peaceful political means and through attempts to educate citizenship, especially women.
B) They were mostly concerned with acquiring weapons of mass destruction and trying to end Israel through terror attacks.
C) They were a group that sought to unite the tribes of Afghanistan under the rule of a strict interpretation of Islamic law and to remove all secular influence from the country.
D) The Taliban was the name of the Afghanistan sector of Al Qaeda.

Question 5

How did the Taliban government fall?

A) They were a ruthless dictatorship that went too far against their own citizenship, who rioted and formed rebel groups to bring the government down.
B) The Taliban were never seen as very religious and were something of a foreign entity, making it difficult for them to acquire local support.
C) It was discovered that the leaders at the top of the government were corrupted and the only thing they really believed in was money.
D) The United States demanded Osama Bin Laden from them, and when they refused, the United States supported an anti-Taliban group and invaded Afghanistan.

Question 6

Why was the Karzai government doomed to fail?

A) Karzai was seen as a weak leader that did whatever the United States asked him to do.
B) As a democratically elected leader in a country that valued anything but democracy, he tried to implement governmental changes to make it a theocracy but his attempts were seen as simply pandering to the masses.
C) Karzai had no Islamist credentials or tribal support.
D) President Karzai refused to raise taxes on his citizens, but later the government collapsed because they had no money.

Question 7

The Taliban killed 11 people in an attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. The hotel was always an attractive target for the Taliban but there was another reason for why it happened at that time,

A) That day the Intercontinental Hotel was serving bacon for breakfast, and pork is forbidden in the Islamic religion.
B) The Israeli Prime Minister was going to be staying overnight.
C) Their predictions for the return of the Twelfth Imam led them to believe it would be that day, and they wanted to celebrate with an attack.
D) There was a conference to discuss increasing areas of responsibility for Afghan security forces.

Question 8

Why are the Taliban reluctant to increase activities outside of Afghanistan?

A) They do not want to risk the security of their sanctuaries in Pakistan.
B) Their funding is running low and if they spread too thin they will be quickly destroyed.
C) The Taliban's only goal has ever been to create an Islamic caliphate in Afghanistan - other people are free to do what they want.
D) Doing so would likely lead to the discovery of their nuclear weapons in Syria.

Question 9

Who has been the most consistent power holder in Pakistan's history?

A) The military
B) Their president
C) Their Supreme Court
D) The bicameral Parliament

Question 10

What is a major difference between India and Pakistan?

A) India is mostly Muslim while Pakistan's official state religion is Hinduism.
B) Pakistan's population is nearly ten times that of India.
C) India is extremely upset with Pakistan's claiming of Kashmir after the splitting of the nations and has long fought to make it an Indian territory.
D) India has had a mostly secular government while Pakistan has had many governmental troubles resulting in different governments.

Question 11

In 2010, Al Queda and the Taliban had established a strong enough presence in the country that the Pakistani government, strong enough to challenge both groups directly, declared a war on them.

Question 12

How was Pakistan founded?

A) Pakistan had no major cities but was more of a tribal nation. When the tribes united, they quickly gained their independence.
B) It was founded as the Muslim part of a breakup of the British Indian Empire.
C) The modern Pakistani state was established after World War I as a French mandate.
D) It was originally known as Persia but over time lost many of its territories.

Question 13

In 1977, when General Zia Ul-Haq took power in Pakistan, how did he change it?

A) The General effectively ended terrorism where possible and diminished it everywhere else in Pakistan.
B) He changed the form of government to a more democratic system but in an ironic turn of events lost the reelection.
C) Previously, Pakistan had been indifferent towards Kashmir, but under his leadership it became the national focus.
D) He instituted Islamic law in Pakistan and changed the education curriculum.

Question 14

How did the Pakistani military use the anti-American sentiment in Pakistan?

A) They used it as a diversion from Pakistan's internal problems and the military's unwillingness or lack of capability to deal with them.
B) The military formed their own terrorist group against America and improved recruitment to the military and their terrorist group.
C) The military used the hatred of western ideologies as the basis for why Pakistan should become an Islamic Republic.
D) They successfully united the people against India and have now come very close to taking Kashmir.

Question 15

How did the dispute over Kashmir begin?

A) Kashmir has many resources that are very valuable, though neither India nor Pakistan has any sort of ethnic claim to it.
B) It is an area regarded as sacred by Hindus but Pakistan claimed as part of their country. This naturally led to a dispute.
C) After India claimed it, several citizens from Pakistan snuck into the capitol, Srinagar, and killed the Indian governor.
D) It was ruled by a Hindu with ties to India, but it had a Muslim population.

Question 16

The first Muslim country to join the "nuclear club" was Afghanistan.

Question 17

What has Pakistan's blind hatred for India and obsession for taking Kashmir caused them to do?

A) They threatened to drop a nuclear bomb on Mumbai, the capitol of India, and nearly went through with it.
B) Pakistan secretly told the United States the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden in exchange for diplomatic support to gain Kashmir.
C) They forced some of their citizens to move to Kashmir to take the land for themselves.
D) They have sponsored terrorism in Kashmir to the point where it is not even under their control.

Question 18

Why is Pakistan reluctant to threaten Islamic groups such as Al Queda?

A) Since Pakistan has long supported terrorism, they feel hypocritical in not supporting Al Queda as well.
B) Pakistan is a theocracy that supports all Islamic groups.
C) For fear that they may become even more of a threat to the Pakistani elite and it's still secular government than they are now.
D) The Taliban, who now rule Pakistan, have long been allies of Al Queda.

Question 19

What happened to Pakistan following the 9/11 terrorist attack?

A) They were offered an ultimatum of siding with the U.S. or being obliterated, so they sided with the United States.
B) They hoped to join the side of Al Qaeda, but their government was trying to remain secular. Therefore, they decided on neutrality.
C) Pakistan offered to help the United States in return for military support in taking over Kashmir.
D) Pakistan knew that Osama Bin Laden would be looking for sanctuary and immediately offered a location near their military base in exchange for his money and training their military.

Question 20

What is the goal of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT)?

A) To oppose the Pakistan military in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
B) To unite Kashmir and Pakistan and expel all foreign troops from Afghanistan.
C) They want to annex Kashmir to Pakistan by targeting Indian officials and civilians in Kashmir.
D) They wanted the freedom of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Question 21

How has the focus of LeT changed over time?

A) They have turned from violence to a path of nonviolence.
B) LeT used to work with other terror organizations such as Al Qaeda but have discontinued that endeavor.
C) LeT started as a political organization and now they only care about money, and have become more of a criminal operation.
D) They have taken a more global Jihadi perspective.

Question 22

Why was the Tehrik -e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) formed?

A) To unite Kashmir and Pakistan and expel all foreign troops from Afghanistan.
B) To oppose the Pakistan military in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
C) They wanted the freedom of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
D) They want to annex Kashmir to Pakistan by targeting Indian officials and civilians in Kashmir.

Question 23

What is the goal of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM)?

A) They wanted the freedom of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
B) They want to annex Kashmir to Pakistan by targeting Indian officials and civilians in Kashmir.
C) To unite Kashmir and Pakistan and expel all foreign troops from Afghanistan.
D) To oppose the Pakistan military in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Question 24

British exhaustion from the war, combined with peaceful resistance to British rule led by Ghandi and Nehru led to independence for India in 1947.

Question 25

The National Investigating Agency Bill created for the first time in India's history a centralized investigative authority for terrorist organizations and incidents. This is an example of

A) failed efforts to share information between agencies.
B) the results following the November 2008 Mumbai attack.
C) trading people's security for more freedoms.
D) a massive overreach by governmental power.

Question 26

What was The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Bill?

A) It was meant to facilitate investigations and trials of the accused in terrorism cases.
B) The bill put a stop to the Pakistani efforts to regain Kashmir by putting in place a standing military in some cities.
C) The Indian government decided to ignore privacy laws, thus the Unlawful Activities, in order to prevent terrorism.
D) The bill helped to stop Al Qaeda from inserting itself in Kashmir, but allowed the citizens of Kashmir to hold an election to determine their autonomy.

Question 27

Who are the Naxalites?

A) The Naxalites were the Islamic terror organization of India, and they wanted India to be ruled by a Muslim enforcing Sharia law.
B) They wanted to separate from India and form their own country.
C) They are the Communist Party of India. They follow the Maoist version of that ideology and targeted police stations, factories, Indian government officials, and multinational corporations.
D) They are a 500-year old religious group that embodies aspects of both Islam and Hinduism and "emphasizes an inner journey to seek spiritual enlightenment, followed by external behavior to live in peace with the world.

Question 28

Who are the Sikhs?

A) They are a 500-year old religious group that embodies aspects of both Islam and Hinduism and "emphasizes an inner journey to seek spiritual enlightenment, followed by external behavior to live in peace with the world.
B) They are the Communist Party of India. They follow the Maoist version of that ideology and target police stations, factories, Indian government officials, and multinational corporations.
C) The Sikhs were the Islamic terror organization of India, and they wanted India to be ruled by a Muslim enforcing Sharia law.
D) They wanted to separate from India and form their own country.

Question 29

The Sikh community choose to remain with Pakistan over India -- even though much of the Punjab went to India -- as the lesser of the two evils.

Question 30

Prime Minister Indira Ghandi was assassinated by the Sikhs because

A) she ordered the invasion of the Sikh temple.
B) the Prime Minister was an advocate of capitalism.
C) she was Muslim, but a different kind of Islam from the Sikhs.
D) the Sikhs wanted religious freedom but the Sikh religion had been outlawed.

Question 31

The Tamil Tiger military offensive began in the mid-1970s and developed out of increased concerns regarding Sinhalese discrimination against the majority Tamil population.

Question 32

Which of the following describes the LTTE reaction to the thirteen Sinhalese soldiers ambushed by the LTTE?

A) It deeply upset the Sinhalese, and the LTTE realized what they had done was wrong, so they apologized.
B) The LTTE were impressed by how easy the Sinhalese were to ambush, and so began a very effective guerilla warfare.
C) It caused more violence against Tamil citizens, so they in turn supported armed resistance and increased militancy.
D) The Sinhalese said they were not military, but that they were citizens, so the LTTE responded by killing Sinhalese innocents to prove the difference.

Question 33

Which group carried out the 1991 assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandi (son of Indira Ghandi) while he was campaigning on behalf of the Indian Congress Party?

A) JEM
B) LeT
C) Naxalites
D) LTTE

Question 34

Which of the following is a difference between the Tamil Tigers and many other terrorist groups?

A) The Tamil Tigers were viewed as a moderate, not an extremist organization.
B) The Tamil Tigers were Hindu, instead of the very common Muslim terrorist groups.
C) The Tamil Tigers became so successful that they expanded into multiple territories, covering parts of India, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
D) At one point the Tamil Tigers boasted their own intelligence service, air force, and a small naval and amphibious force

Question 35

What the Tamil Tigers are most known for are its cadre of suicide bombers known as the Black Tigers.

Question 36

When the cease-fire failed and the Tamil Tigers resumed their violent activities, the Sri Lankan government went on an all-out offensive, including removing all civilians from the Tamil areas and declaring all who remained to be combatants and fair game.

Question 37

Why has Pakistan's army built a complex network of relationships with numerous jihadist terror groups, including the Taliban, and with terrorists like Osama bin Laden?

A) Their fear of India drove them to do it.
B) Jihadist terror groups are Muslim, so naturally some involvement would be unavoidable.
C) Their military leaders were often paranoid that failing to do so would evoke the anger of the people.
D) Once Pakistan had made an alliance with one terror organization, that organization threatened terror to the Pakistani people if they did not ally with more.

Question 38

Most within the CIA expected the Mujahideen to crush the Soviet Army within a few months, or maybe years.

Question 39

What was Osama Bin Laden's involvement with LeT?

A) He was closely involved and even provided some of the funding to get it started.
B) Osama Bin Laden was killed long before LeT started.
C) As Osama Bin Laden was Sunni, and LeT is a Shia organization, he actively worked against them.
D) He infiltrated them secretly to learn what improvements he could make to Al Qaeda.

Question 40

Musharraf stated that Pakistan aligned with the United States because

A) Otherwise, India aligning with the United States would give them a golden opportunity in Kashmir.
B) Pakistan has always been supportive of the United States.
C) They hated Al Qaeda much more than the United States, so they had a common enemy.
D) Pakistan wanted "points" at the next UN conference for doing the right thing, so that other countries would look at them more favorably.

Question 41

One of the major reasons that there is a huge distrust of the United States in Pakistan is that they feel used.

Question 42

What devastation did the LTTE do to Sri Lanka?

A) The LTTE neglected the infrastructure, doing things like using steel from railroads for their own purposes.
B) As they were at war with Northern Sri Lanka, they killed many of the citizens.
C) They attacked their Indian neighbors which provoked a harsh response.
D) The LTTE attempted to set up several nuclear power plants, but many of them failed leaving a lot of radiation and unlivable areas.

Question 43

In evolving a set of principles for economic growth in the areas formerly controlled by the LTTE, the Sri Lankan state would need to provide substantial economic resources through the annual budget, for a decade or more, in a spirit of reconciliation, for a successful plan for stabilization and economic reconstruction. This would be doing something more than the British did for those regions and, more to the point, what the LTTE did.

Question 44

During the reign of LTTE, democracy had been absent, but why was it easy to implement democracy afterwards?

A) Since there was democracy beforehand, re-establishing it was easier than establishing it for the first time.
B) The United Nations stepped in to help provide most of the funding to get the country started again and provided them with a Constitution.
C) The LTTE carefully handed over power to democracy in order to maintain peace between citizens.
D) The LTTE had pushed out Al Qaeda and other religious terror groups so there was no threat of an Islamic caliphate or some other form of theocracy.

Question 45

Sri Lanka was caught up in the rivalry between

A) Iraq and Iran
B) Pakistan and India
C) India and China
D) Bangladesh and Myanmar (Burma)

Question 46

Who do you feel Kashmir really belongs to, or should it be an independent country? Why?

Question 47

How effective were the Tamil Tigers? What has been done since to improve Sri Lanka?