Shooting for a Century

The first comprehensive survey of the deep historical cultural and strategic differences that make it probable the India-Pakistan conflict will endure despite all efforts

The India-Pakistan rivalry has been labelled intractable. In thirty-five years this armed standoff will be a century old and the chances of realizing that dubious anniversary seem quite good. The rivalry is one reason why South Asia remains the least integrated region in the world.

In Shooting for a Century Stephen Cohen draws on his rich and varied experiences in South Asia and develops a comprehensive theory of why the dispute is intractable and suggests ways in which it may be ameliorated.

In the past fifteen years the stakes have become higher for both countries: each has acquired nuclear weapons and had multiple crises. Pakistan has shown signs of political failure. Ironically India is booming but the time for normalization may not have come yet and there are groups on both sides that would oppose it.

Can the two states resolve the many territorial and identity issues that divide them? Are there possibilities for their cooperation on one level even if antagonisms remain? Should normalization from the bottom up be encouraged or do they have to agree on resolving strategic conflicts first? Cohen provides an authoritative and instructive examination of these and similarly important topics.