Essay on US and NATO Role in Afghanistan

Part 1: Outlining 4 main arguments

Position 1) Send more U.S. and NATO troops to Afghanistan for a counterinsurgency strategy.

Author

Trudy currently writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer, in a column on Sundays and Wednesdays. She has a lot of experience in writing about Afghanistan and our occupation in Central Asia.

Thesis

In order for the US to maintain control over the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, troops and NATO forces must remain and prevent more of the country from falling under Taliban rule.

Three Main Points

1) The US must remain in Afghanistan and prevent more of the country from falling under Taliban control.

2) US Diplomacy should aim at strengthening Pakistan against the Taliban terrorist threat.

3) US needs to focus on protecting the people from Taliban intimidation and help them develop their own security forces and improve their living standards.

Position 2) Shift the military effort to Pakistan instead of Afghanistan

Authors-

Michael A. Cohen is a Senior Research Fellow at the New America Foundation where he contributes to the Privatization of Foreign Policy Initiative, where he examines the growing influence and impact of non-state actors. Parag Khanna is director of the Global Governance Initiative and Senior Research Fellow at the New America Foundation, where he writes about America’s involvement in Afghanistan.

Thesis

The Taliban is too unpopular in Afghanistan, US needs to shift its attention to Pakistan, US needs to help build the Pakistan military and police force.

1) The Taliban is too unpopular in Afghanistan to have a chance of taking the country, the US needs to focus on “defeating an enemy that is, for the most part, located across the border” in Pakistan.

2) US needs to assist the Pakistan military, including the Frontier Corps and the police, in order to better secure the Tribal areas, which are known Taliban and Al-qaeda locations.

3) With better intelligence from the Pakistan side, the US can improve he accuracy of the Drone attacks, targeting Al-qaeda leadership is the best military strategy.

Position 3) Focus on regional negotiations instead of a military solution

Author

Tariq Ali is a British-Pakistani Historian, who regularly contributes to the Guardian and the London Review of Books. Ali has always written about involvement in wars, he got his start debating about America’s involvement in Vietnam.

Thesis

The US needs to focus on a diplomatic approach instead of a military one. We need to withdraw most of the troops, and sign a pact to ensure that Afghanistan becomes a peaceful nation.

1) Taliban are gaining strength because of our occupation, the US attacks are counterproductive, because many innocent lives are taken, and this makes the Taliban very appealing.

2) US troops should withdraw and a regional pact should be signed that guarantees Afghanistan’s stability. Other countries can help the government succeed and help Afghanistan become a peaceful nation.

3) Clean up the Afghan Government and help the police, so that Afghanistan can function as a peaceful nation.

Position 4) Withdraw U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan

Author

George Will is a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, he writes for Newsweek, Washington Post, and ABC. His column is syndicated to over 450 newspapers; he is one of the leading experts on America in Afghanistan.

Thesis

The objectives set by the US is unattainable, US needs to withdraw its troops, or else they will never be able to accomplish these goals. America should reduce its troop number, and use offshore tactics, such as Drones.

1) Small Amount of Special Forces troops to watch the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, in order to keep Pakistan safe.

2) Afghanistan has never had a successful central government, US needs to clean up the existing government as well as the opium trade, which is a known method of gaining money.

3) The US needs to withdraw troops, because the US forces are there to prevent the reestablishment of Al-Qaeda bases, but currently there are none.

Part 2 "Children of the Taliban"

1) Many children join the Taliban because it offers a lifestyle better than the one they have. Many extremist preachers offer refuge and food for children who can't afford those. These madrasas teach children the foundations of extremist thought, as well as memorization of the Koran. Children who can't get an education are often drawn to these religious schools, where they want to become Martyrs. The culture of fear that the Taliban has built has affected many families and children. Children want to join the Taliban because it sounds very appealing; to these children it is an escape from the harsh suppression around them.

2) Many of the attacks by the US/NATO forces have killed innocent lives. Many parents and guardians are being killed, leaving the children orphaned and without money, the Taliban has gained a lot of support and soldiers through helping children with nothing, then teaching them about Martyrdom. Many of the children group up with much resentment towards Pakistan and US forces. Many of the attacks have killed innocent lives and have not proven to be accurate in ridding the Taliban from Pakistan. Children are also impacted by the amount of fighting that is taking place. Many children are displaced because the Pakistan Army is attacking whole villages and destroying them entirely. Many children have a lot of resentment towards the Pakistan Army and US/NATO Forces.

3) Much of the drone attacks by the US Army have been a great success, but many are very inaccurate and leave a wake of destruction, often involving innocent lives and homes. Attacks have been successful in the past, but with a high innocent casualty rate. That is partly because much of the Taliban look like the sorrounding population and it is hard to tell who is an innocent civilian and who is a Taliban fighter. When a drone fires a missile into a house with Taliban fighters, the missile could kill many innocent people as well, turning a missile that would help the cause into a missile that is very detrimental to the cause.

4) The Taliban continues to grow, because they offer a better lifestyle and power. Much like the Nazi’s before WWII, the Taliban appeals to poor young men, because it gives them power and a lifestyle that is much better than the one they have. To someone who’s parents might have died in a Pakistan missile attack and who doesn’t have enough money for food, the Taliban offers refuge to this person and a way to get back at Pakistan. To many children, the Taliban is very appealing, they like the notion of suicide bombing, as well as fighting. The US/NATO forces are greatly outnumbered because the Taliban is so appealing.

Obama's Speech

1) In his speech, Barack Obama outlined his plan for the US involvement in Afghanistan. He stated 3 objectives for the War to complete. The first objective was to Disrupt, Dismantle, and Get rid of Al-qaeda. The second was to Reverse Taliban Momentum and stop them from advancing into Pakistan. The third was to strengthen local governments and local security forces, so that when the US leaves, Afghanistan will be able to handle and secure its country. Obama outlined three ways to accomplish this. The first is pursuing a military strategy in Iraq and breaking the Taliban's momentum. The second is to work with our allies and pursue a civilian strategy, we need to show Afghanistan what we expect, we also need to help create an Agricultural movement and secure Afghanistan. The final step is to help Pakistan in their fight against the Taliban and find a solution to both borders. Obama also answered many of the concerns, saying that "Afghanistan isn't another Vietnam, we are supported by a broad coalition of nations." Obama presented a time table that would end the war in Iraq and send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. He also wanted to send a push for diplomacy, saying "America will speak out for human rights across the world."

2) I agree with Obama's plan, because it outlines a strategy that is very legitimate. He plans to send the much needed troops to Afghanistan, which will secure our presence and help fight against the Taliban. His plan is a push for diplomacy, stating that we will end what we had started. Obama knows that the Taliban can't be eliminated, but he wants to hamper their movement forward. Same with Al-qaeda, Obama knows that there will always be extremist groups, but he wants to make sure that much of Central Asia is free from the oppressive rule of the Taliban, and that people can walk the streets safely. I am glad to see that we are moving our forces from Iraq into Afghanistan, I think that with Obama's strategy, we will see a lot of improvement in the good fight.

Frontline "War Briefing" Part 1

The war in Afghanistan faces many great challenges on its way to victory, these challenges will be hard to overcome and require much.

1) Pakistan

Throughout the war in Afghanistan, the Taliban have been attacking US forces, then retreating into Pakistan's tribal areas. These areas are not controlled by Pakistan or Afghanistan forces, they are lawless lands, where terrorists can hide easily and escape US attack. The US/NATO forces have trouble crossing the border into Pakistan, as the government prohibits them many times, but for many terrorists the tribal regions are easily accessible and provide a safe hiding place against US attacks. Pakistan is on the brink of collapse, with growing Taliban support and weak military forces, the government finds it very hard to hold back the Taliban. Pakistan has many Nuclear weapons, which could be a disaster if they fell into the wrong hands. Pakistan can't hold off the Taliban forces much longer, and their tribal areas are becoming a hiding place for the world's deadliest terrorists.

2) Terrain

Much of Afghanistan is high elevation mountains and is untracked. Many of the army's vehicles can't make it thru the rugged roads and often get stuck, creating a target for Taliban guns. Much of the Army's attacks in Afghanistan rely on air strikes, which are not accurate and often take innocent lives. The terrain makes it easy for the Taliban to hide, because they know the terrain so well, they can easily hide from US attacks and can easily attack US forces. Much of the enemy is dispersed throughout the rugged terrain and can easily attack, making it very hard to find and take out enemy forces.

3) Not Enough Troops or Supplies

Currently, the US does not have enough troops or supplies to maintain a strong presence in Afghanistan. Much of the fighting is done through air strikes, which often are not accurate and take many innocent lives, which affects Afghanistan's attitude towards US presence. Many of the outpost's in Afghanistan are very small and have to deal with fighting everyday, they constantly need support and resources, which the US can only provide sometimes. Only 33,000 troops are stationed in Afghanistan, they often are outnumbered and find it hard to maintain a presence in a nation with a population 366 times the troop number.

4) Enemy is Hard To Find

One of the biggest problems in the Afghanistan War is the fact that many of the Taliban fighters look like the population. In many circumstances, they are extremely hard to distinguish from innocent Afghan's. Much of the fighting is taking place in small towns, which are extremely hard to fight in, because the enemy is hard to track down. Many times, people are mistaken for being Taliban, and are killed. When many innocent people die, the moral of Afghanistan goes down, this makes it easier for the Taliban to gain support. Often the Taliban fighters are called "Ghosts" because they are so hard to find, many of them hide in the rugged terrain or dress up like innocent people. When the Army is fighting in the countryside, much of the attacks are surprise attacks, with the Army not knowing where the fire is coming from. Many times, Troops have attacked weddings and other get-together's, because they mistake them for Taliban meetings. These attacks have greatly lowered the Afghan moral and have created much anger and resentment towards US/Nato forces.

Blog-o-signment #2

Incarnations Buddha was a human, a fully enlightened spiritual teacher and inspiration. As there is no belief in or relevant God, there are no incarnations of God worshipped.
	Origin of Universe and Life Buddhists consider it the job of scientists to explain origins of the universe and life. There is no contradiction with scientific discovery, however many maintain that the world creates and recreates itself millions of times every fraction of a second.
	After Death There is no transmigration of individual souls, but through the law of karma, one's wholesome or unwholesome intentions become imprinted in the mind. Negative mental states persist through continual rebirth until one's intentions become wholesome. Once fully enlightened, one is liberated from rebirths, reaching a state of absolute selflessness resulting in ultimate bliss called Nirvana--the "Deathless State." One becomes Buddha (or one with Buddha). Some Buddhists, especially modern Western, don't emphasize or believe in literal rebirth.
	Why Evil? People have free will to commit wrongs or rights. Evil doings may result when egoism, cravings, attachments, and ignorance are expressed as greed, hatred, and violence, which, if unmitigated, is perpetuated through rebirth.
	Salvation Enlightenment is an individual journey to Nirvana (complete bliss)--liberation from suffering and cycles of rebirth--acheived by following the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path. To eliminate karma, which causes rebirth, one must extinguish the belief in a separate self that give rise to cravings, desires, and attachments. The path to enlightenment includes loving-kindness and compassion, moral conduct, charity, wisdom, and meditation.
	Undeserved Suffering Unenlightened life is suffering, and the cessation of this suffering is the primary goal of Buddhism--to reach Nirvana, to end cycles of rebirth. Suffering is a result of past-life greed, hatred, and ignorance, which return as suffering (karma), while compassion toward others who suffer reduces the effects of karma.
	Contemporary Issues Abortion is considered murder, and all violent acts cause horrific karmic consequence. Homosexuality in itself is not specifically condemned by scripture, but opinions vary, especially among various Buddhist cultures--e.g., Buddhists in the United States are generally very accepting, while some Asian Buddhists are generally strongly opposed to homosexuality. It is believed thatdivorcewouldn't occur if one follows Buddhist precepts, but a couple is not condemned if they separate due to vast personal differences. In Theravada countries, gender roles are generally traditional (e.g. woman as child caretakers and men as providers), but less rigid as contemporary demands are made on women (e.g. working women). Part 3: I was initially surprised to find that I was a Theravada buddhist, because I have never studied buddhism, nor do I know much about it. I agree with the findings, because Buddhism seems like it is much more concentrated on the individual finding enlightenment, which is something that sounds appealing. I have heard of buddhism, mainly through the book I'm currently reading. Many of the questions made me think, because I am still young, so I don't know what spiritual path I will take.

Part 4: Theravada Buddhism or "the teaching of the elders" is one of the oldest

Buddhist schools still in existence. It believes that your past experiences will give you insight, rather

than relying solely on blind faith. The religion also emphasizes following the advice of the wise,

considering the advice and the evaluation of one's own experiences are the tests by which practices

should be judged. Theravada is based on 4 truths, or better known as the Four Sublime Truths, which

are the problem, the cause, the solution, and the pathway to the solution.

These are the four truths

Dukkha: All that a person feels from separating from attachments or associating with bad attachments

is encompassed in this term.

Dukkha Samudaya: Craving, which leads to attachment and ultimately suffering.

Dukkha Nirodha: The person needs to adjust their mind through detachment, so that they no longer

have to suffer.

Dukkha Nirodha Gamini Patipada: This is the pathway to enlightenment.

Theravada is practiced in many countries, it is the biggest religion in Sri Lanka. The religion was founded in India and

has stayed relatively conservative and close to Buddhism's roots. The religion has adapted a lot to many modern issues

that face us today, including the green movement, syncretism with other Buddhist traditions, women's rights, and gay

rights. Meditation is the key tool in becoming enlightened, the meditation is called Samatha, which means

"tranquilizing, calming", "visualizing", and "achieving." This meditation makes a person skillful in concentration of

mind and able to see through the "veil of ignorance."

I think that this religion is very peaceful and focused on finding enlightenment through detachment to

the real world, when someone detaches themselves from everything else, they no longer have to suffer.

This is a very interesting concept, because it offers a way to reach enlightenment. I think that this religion

was a good fit, because I enjoy the concept of finding ones self and helping others along the way. Also, I was glad that

I took the test, in order to find what religion would fit me best, although I'm still young, if I ever wanted to be religious

then I would know where to start.

Blog-o-signment #2

1.	Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2.	Secular Humanism (93%)
3.	Liberal Quakers (87%)
4.	Theravada Buddhism (82%)
5.	Neo-Pagan (80%)

Blog-o-signment #2

You scored 32, on a scale of 25 to 100. Here's how to interpret your score:
25 - 29		Hardcore Skeptic -- but interested or you wouldn't be here!
30 - 39		Spiritual Dabbler -- Open to spiritual matters but far from impressed
40 - 49		Active Spiritual Seeker � Spiritual but turned off by organized religion
50 - 59		Spiritual Straddler � One foot in traditional religion, one foot in free-form spirituality
60 - 69		Old-fashioned Seeker -- Happy with my religion but searching for the right expression of it
70 - 79		Questioning Believer � You have doubts about the particulars but not the Big Stuff
80 - 89		Confident Believer � You have little doubt you�ve found the right path
90 - 100		Candidate for Clergy

Blog-o-signment #1

I think it is important to study history, because history is doomed to repeat itself unless we can stop it. The only way to stop it, is to study what mistakes people have made and learn from those in order to apply them to the situation now. Asian history is especially important to study, because it is such a large and powerful continent, from the oil industry to the production industry, Asia will one day control the economy and the culture. If we don't study how Asia became this, we won't know how to live with this powerful and strong continent. Asian history and culture also can help us with the problems that we face today in America, we can take many of the scenarios and apply them to the problems, such as the recession and the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is also important to realize that making decisions based on cultural biases is stupid, if we don't do our homework and replace these biases with the truth, history is doomed to repeat itself.

Blog-o-signment #1

Scored an 82.5% on country quiz.

http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/asia3.html

I took the quiz and scored an 82.5%, which I thought was pretty good, considering I don't know very much about the continent as a whole. I had known many of the large countries in Asia fairly well, but had no idea about many of the smaller countries, I think creating a map changed many of pre-conceived notions I had about where countries are. 

First Posting

First Day of the blog