Four Positions for the Future of Afghanistan

Position one: Send more U.S. and NATO troops to Afghanistan for a counterinsurgency strategy.

Position one written by Trudy Rubin representing the views of David Kilcullen, an Australian counterinsurgency expert.

3 Views:

Bring more NATO troops into Afghanistan and refocus US attention there.

Reestablish control in the cities to build Police and Army to take over

Destroy the support base in Pakistan for Al-Qaeda

Reestablish control in the cities

Allowing for buildup of Afghan army and police

Destroy the ability of the Taliban to maintain control by destroying their support base in the cities

Address Pakistan on how to deal with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda support base in the Tribal Region of Pakistan

Support Pakistan with intelligence and hardware to secure the border region

Use Special Forces and Drone strikes to root out training and launch-bases

Position Two: The main focus of author Michael A. Cohen and Parag Khanna is to shift the major focus of the War effort in Afghanistan to Pakistan. They believe that the main fight and center for Extremism is located in the Tribal areas of Pakistan.

3 Views:

Shift War to Pakistan

The Taliban lack the support from the people of Afghanistan that is necessary to retake the country.

Al-Qaeda will ever be able to rebuild to the same strength they had before the invasion of 2002.

Should not focus on nation building in Afghanistan, but rather support Pakistan.

The Pakistani army and border guards need more support to maintain control of their country where the Taliban and Al-Qaeda have a stronger support base and are truly located.

The US should help fund Pakistan and its social programs.

The best strategy for Afghanistan is for the US military to ally with local warlords and Taliban leaders and use them as a front.

Pay or encourage the Taliban commanders to “flip” and join the Afghan people.

Once they have flipped, pay them to hand over Al-Qaeda operatives.

Position 3: Position three maintains the stance that it would be better to focus on regional negotiations then military solutions. This position is supported by “Mirage of the Good War”, written by Tariq Ali that focuses on a diplomatic path rather than a military one.

3 Views:

Both the Brits and Russians learned the hard way that the people of Afghanistan don’t like to be conquered.

The United States should understand this and follow a more diplomatic course of action.

Our military actions only lead to local anger.

Taliban are gaining popularity

Local Government officials are corrupt

US military causes Collateral damage

We must think politically

Get international support (Russia, Iran, Pakistan, India, and possible China) for a National Afghan Government that represents all groups of ethnicities.

“…in which all citizens can breathe, think, and eat.”

Believe that the people of Afghanistan would support a deal such as this

Position 4: Withdraw all NATO and US troops from Afghanistan and disregard it completely. This position is a analysis of an article written in the Washington Post by George Will.

3 Views:

The corrupt government of Afghanistan lacks the support necessary to rebuild the nation.

Some of the top officials are involved with the opium trade.

The United States does not have enough troops and there is a lack of international support

The United States cannot hold gains it has made because of the lack of troops on the ground.

The International community is reluctant to help out and send troops or even support the war effort.

We cannot rebuild the country, it is too far gone.

The effect on the Children from the Afghan War, Effectivness of Drones, and Taliban Growth

There are many reasons why children join the taliban. One of the major reasons, is the lack of public schools in the Tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, but also the lack of educational support and schools in major population centers. When the children do not have a public school to go to where they can be protected by the governement. However, when the government does not spend the money to educate their population, then the Taliban open Madrassas that may seem legitamate educational centers, but are centers to teach their fundamentalist ideals. Kids are also "sold" by their parents. They go to the madrassas and learn extremism where they can get food and shelter, and their parents are, at times, paid by the Taliban. Kids are also young and ignorant to the ideals and actions of the Taliban and join because they like the guns or because the Taliban look strong. One of the most fundemental issues that causes kids to join the Taliban, is the fact that the United States and the Pakistani Army kill civilians with missles, bombs, and large scale infantry incursions. This causes many of the kids to lose family members which creates sentamente towards the United States and makes the kids want to join the Taliban.
The children of Pakistan have been greatly impacted. Many of their family members have been killed by NATO airstrikes which create opportunities for the Taliban to recruit angry children who they can then "brainwash". Many of them also have to deal with growing up in a country that has been having issues for the past several decades. Kids in Afghanistan have to face issues every day in their lives that we cant even imagian.
The offensive by Pakistan and the US missle strikes by drones has been economically and militarially effective, however, there has been many issues with collateral damage. The Pakistani Army has done a good job of destabilizing the Taliban in their safe haven in the Tribal Region of Pakistan. However, when they were going through the different valleys, they completely destroyed a village and killed close to 1,500 Taliban (according to their report). However, by killing the 1,500 Taliban and create a safe area for their populace to live freely, they destroyed their homes that they lived in. The US missle strikes have also been difficult because of the collateral damage. Many times the missles hit their targets and take out head commanders of the Taliban. However, the missles at times hit funeral prossesions for their loved ones. This creates a very mixed result, because they may take out one commander but they create 10 new recruits when they hit a funeral prossesion. Many times it is hard to tell if the strikes have made a large difference because they may destabalize the Taliban for a while, but there are people who will always be willing to take those spots.
My personal opinion is the best way to win the people is to educate the people, create a safe nation for them to grow up in, and show them that freedom that is just and true can never be beaten.
The Taliban continue to grow for many reasons. Namely because of the ingnorance of the people and the lack of support to those who stand up against them. As a group who uses intimidation and oppression to maintain control, the Taliban if theartened are weak and unloyal. Many people are intimidated or forced into supporting the Taliban and their ideals. There are many true fundamentalists and it will there for be unrealistic to souly believe that we can end the Taliban totally.

President Obama and the Future of Afghanistan

On Tuesday, December 1st, 2009, Presedent Obama presented a history changing plan for Afghanistan and the future of the United States presence there. President Obama told of four major issues and plans that he and his administration are planning to implement and deal with in the coming years. With the war in Afghanistan already in its ninth year, the American public's resolve has begun to dwindle. However, the American people were reassured and the countries faith renewed. "Let me be clear: none of this will be easy", Mr. Obama told the nation of the trying times ahead. He told of his plan to deploy 30,000 more US troops (along with 5,000-8,000), train and equip the Afghan Police and Army, destroy the Taliban Support base in Afghanistan and finally, he told of how the Pakistani Army needs to step up their will and ability to fight, and said that his administration was going to continue using drones as a method of destroying Al-Qaeda in the Tribal Regions of Pakistan.

I agree with the build up for several reasons. We went into Afghanistan to get Osama Bin-Laden, and we have yet to find him. This is pathetic, if we are in fact, "the most technologically advanced military in the world." With all of our troops and technology now on the ground i feel as though we will be able to finish the job we got into 9 years ago. We also are now able to create a large enough safe haven in populas areas to build up the Afghan Police and Army forces. I agree with him on keeping a time line however, because of the lack of plans we have had in the past. Bush planned that we would be out of Afghanistan in 3 years and we have been there 9. I am looking forward to a better future for the people of America and Afghanistan, and bringing our troops home.
It was also very good to hear that Obama was putting preasure on our allies to pitch in more troops so that together, we can win the War in Afghanistan together, and send all of our troops home. Many of our allies have been attacked in the past by Al-Qaeda, or Al-Qaeda linked terrorits organizations.
By explaining his plans to attack both the Taliban in Afghanistan and Al-Qaeda in Pakistan, the United States is squezing those terrorist organizations in a vice of American Troops in Afghanistan, and American-backed Pakistani forces in Pakistan. This strategy will hopefully work and will not only secure Afghanistan or Pakistan, but stabalize the entire region.
By supporting and building the Pakistani Police and Army forces, Mr. Obama is not just focusing on the near future or pulling our troops out, but the security and stability of Afghan and its people. Only by supporting its people can we ensure lasting peace in Afghanistan. His call to action of President Karzi is also very important. It shows that although we are sending 30,000 troops into Afghanistan, we will not just pay, as Mr. Obama said, "with a blank check", but are expecting the Afghans to help build their nation. I believe that President Obama has done a terrific job of planning a war with a end in sight.

Major US and NATO challenges

In The War Briefing, there are many problems that are told of. However, there are four main issues that the United States and its allies will have to overcome in order to secure the freedom and safety of Afghanistan.
One of the biggest issues facing NATO is the corruption in the Afghan Government. The US spends billions of dollars, sends thousands of troops, and fights for the Afghans in Afghanistan. However, this effort is underminded by President Hamid Karzai and his corrupted government. In the presidential elections resently, Karzai was accused of stuffing ballot boxes and paying off people to vote for him. His overall election fraud has rattled already skeptical citizens and lost support for his government. With alligations that his brother is influential in criminal activities, it is hard to believe that Karzai is truely focusing on the war on drugs and ridding his country of criminal enterprises.
NATO also has to deal the Pakistan and its unwillingness to fight for control of the Tribal regions inbetween Pakistand and Afghanistan. Pakistan has been very lax on their effort to control the tribal regions, and in the Swat Valley, even allowed the Taliban to set up their own government in the area and enact the strict Fundamentalist laws of Sharia Law. This unwillingness allows the Taliban to have a base of operation out side of the United States realm of military power, while still being within reach of attacking military instilations in Afghanistan.
Another one of the main issues the United States is facing is their inability to patrol and control all of Afghanistan because of their lack of troops. The Unites states, engaged in two wars, has streatched its military thin and, according to General McCrystal, is not able to control and will continue to lose control of Afghanistan if more troops are not installed. This tuesday President Obama will present his plan to send close to 35,000 to Afghanistan in the coming months. The lack of troops in Afghanistan, has made it difficult for the United States to maintain control, but most of all, instill a sense of safety for the Afghan people. In the front line video, the people of many small villages in Afghanistan follow what the Taliban say, not because of their belief in it, but because of their lack of trust in the United States and its ability to protect them.
The drug trade is one of the most common, evident, and profitable ways for the taliban to make money and support their ideals. Much of the Afghan farmers in the more tribal areas out of the control of the United States, are growing poppies, again, not because they believe in the Taliban, but because it is the most profitable crop. The Taliban are willing to pay a large amount of local currancey and then sell it onto the world market. Poppies, which enable the Taliban to fund their ideals and wars. This is a touchy issue for the Unties tates however, because of the peoples need for an income and the inability of the US military to tell friend from foe. Many times the United States simply allows poppies to grow because they do not want to have to deal with the political backlash of civilian casualties.
These are some of the biggest issues that the Unties States and its allies are facing in Afghanistan, however, there are many more that we face and our soldiers face every day.

Type of religion i should belong to.

The highest Eastern Religion in my test was Thervada Buddhism, whish came in fourth with 86% in common. I agree with many things in this religion there are 8 main areas of belief.
1. Belief in Deity: It is irrelivant and Buddha was a Sage Human not a higher power. I agree with this because i am not a believer of one or even many higher powers ("Gods").
2.Incarnations: Buddha was a fully enlightened spiritual leader and because he is human there are no incarnations of god worshipped. I agree with this for the same reason as the belief in a diety. I do not believe there is one.
3. After Death: They believe in the "layer" system and that your atman is released which i dont agree or disagree with. Im not really sure how the soul is "realesed" or even if it is.
4. Why people evil: They believe people are evil because they can be there not made either way. I agree with this because i believe people make concious choices to do good or evil (except exeptions including mental patients, Etc.).
5. Enlightenment: They believe that it is an individual journy to Nirvana. I agree, and do not believe anyone but yourself can gain true enlightenment and that the journy is truely your own not to be directed by other people.
6. Why suffering: Life is suffering caused by bad last "lifes". I dont agree or disagree with this, it is simple one way of looking at suffering.
7. Origins of Universe and Life: Scientist show how it happens. I fully agree with this and do not believe "god" made earth.
8. Contemperary issues: Homosexuality is usually accepted by Buddhists are usually accepting but they consider abortion murder they also believe that women should and can do what they want. I agree with all of these except i believe that abortion can be nessesary and should be allowed at times.

How much of a believer

I scored a 40-49 which stated that i was something along the lines of a skeptical believer. This stated that i was spiritual personally but that i am turned off by group religions. This is true in many ways. I believe that religion although great for certain groups and types of people, has been corrupted and polluted by people's personal reasons and that those same people taint other people and our government with their ideas and back policies they believe in. Many people say that abortion, gays, and many other things are "unethical", but many are church goers and fog the line that is clear in our constitution: "The Seperation of Church and States".
I therefor agree that i am a skeptical believer because somethings cannot be answered but i am not sure if there is a "Higher Power", but i think somethings have been predetermined and cannot be answered through anything other than super natural powers at times.

Blog-O-Signment #2

There are many reasons it is important reasons to study Asia/Middle East. The most important in my opinion is that we have fought and lost men and women there and are currently fighting two wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Our reasoning for these war have been for good and for bad regardless of what we believe in we should understand the success and failures in Asia and the Middle East. It is also very important so that we do not repeat the same mistakes like we have so many times. I also think that it is important because China and India have huge populations and China is in control of our monitary system and at any point could screw up the United States by forcing us to pay back the loans they have given us. These are the reasons i believe it is important to understand Asia and the Middle East.

We must also, when studying other cultures and places, understand that what their religions, culture, and traditions are much different than that of the United States of America. We have to step back and look at there culture through their shoes so we understand why they do what they do.