Is the US responsible for rise in Religious Fundamentalism ? How is it relevant to both the US and India? Religion is 'the holy grail' for many. There is nothing wrong with people expressing their respective faith in the best way they know how. But religious freedom cannot be let to ru(i)n the lives of the citizens of a community, a nation or the world, for that matter. Religion need not be a touchy subject, nor a controversial one. None of the religions of the world, as we'll know, preaches violence against the fellow man. Yet, we have fundamentalist 'religious' groups of almost all religions - Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism sharpening their swords, so to speak. These 'folks' as George W Bush puts it, are plain 'outlaws' who need to be treated as just that. The question that comes to mind is how such persons manage to procure funds to carry out their operations and how the respective country's governments fail to identify them and come down severely on them as if they were menions of Satan?!!! The problem lies in the associaton of the affluent nations of the world with groups nourishing fundamentalist ideals and aspirations. Now, why would these nations fund such obvious 'baddies'? Quite simple really - vested interests. An Islamic fundamentalist group like the Al Qaeda or the war-lords of Taleban cannot last long, let alone flourish and spread like wild-fire. One of the numerous motives of the 'yankees' are based purely on economics and sound business principles of supply and demand, while obliterating the competition! Territorial supremacy/international 'presence', monopoly in trade and commerce, non-compliance of major Protocols (Kyoto), agreements and treaties(Non-proliferation, CTBT), etc. The US gets away with anything and the rest of the world is left with screaming 'bloody murder', but to no avail. The point that I am making is, if and when the US has an opportunity to use a foreign 'asset' for furthering its cause, which, nine out of ten times has something to do with money, oil or territory. History is a witness to the role that the US has played in transforming the world from the days of the 'Big War'. Hitler may have been a key trigger in the chain reaction in world events, but the American Policy, in a way took over where the Aryan Supremacist left off! Hitler annihilated and blitzed the Jews, but America has been no less cruel and shrewd in its foreign affairs and domestic policies. The propriety of its activities can be gauged from its presence and operations in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, Nicaragua (Contra cartels), Cuba, Libya, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, the Middle-East, Colombia, and more recently, the Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, Afghanistan, Pakistan. An FBI liaison/ field office has already come up in New Delhi! Let us be specific with persons under the CIA patronage or payroll or both, like Usama Bin Laden, UBL, Saddam Hussein, PLO, and Israel, and Pervez Musharraf, for starters. All of these'gentlemen' have/had their own pet project going on which the US promised to or is carrying forth. UBL got out of hand and ended up biting the US in the..! But not before doing the dirty work for the US administration. The US also has been known to stir-up trouble, covertly and overtly and create war-like situations for nations and a thriving arms market! The US has been and is supplying arms and logistic support to countries like Iraq, Iran, Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, India, China, breakaway Republics of the former Soviet Union, especially Chechen rebels, African nations' numerous warlords ( although it doesn't leave a paper trail), and whoever is intent on arms purchase. The US has become such a facilitator, that it was just a matter of time before some one or some group retaliated against the mighty US of A. It would not be wrong to conclude that it is the American funding - direct/indirect that facilitates the brazen actions and survival of terror groups and religious fanatics. Here, it would be appropriate to acknowledge that not all members of fundamentalist groups truly believe in their fanatic leaders. These are usually misguided youth, with little or no hope making it on their own in life. This holds true for almost all the terror groups, from Jammu and Kashmir, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Thailand, Indonesia, Phillipines, Bangladesh, Nepal, Middle-East, to the United States. Discontented and unprivileged youth get swayed by the sweet talk of 'reformation of souls', religious bliss, not to mention monetary benefits for the family doled out by their religious heads. Now, this might go on in Madrasas, Churches, Temples, Synagogues or the YMCA health for all we know. And how does it all affect life in India? We, in India, are quite laidback about it. They've had their lesson in 9-11. We've had the Mumbai blasts, Dec-13 Parliament attack, Hazratbal, Charar-e-Sharief, Khalistan movement, Hijacking of Indian Airline plane to Kabul (a civilian passenger Rupen Katyal, a newly wed on his honeymoon died), and a lot of incursions a la Kargil. But, India seems to play to second fiddle in all international theatres of importance, be it the UN Security Council or the war on terrorism. Anyhow, what India must or mustn't do is a mighty big subject, best left for some other time! Is the US heading for a meteoric burnout?