Ryan+Crocker,+U.+S.+Ambassador+to+Afghanistan

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Perspective on Afghanistan

Ryan Crocker Created By - Stacy G.
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__The New U.S. Ambassador of Afghanistan: Ryan Crocker__ The current Ambassador of Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker, has spent many years of his life surrounded by war. Currently 62 years of age, Crocker made the attempt to retire once, after the war in Iraq, but was coaxed back into service by President Obama to help with relations between Karzai. According to Jackson Diehl, deputy editorial page editor from The Washington Post, Crocker has served more than half of the last ten years in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, and during this time, rescued the United States from catastrophe in Iraq (four years ago). Now Crocker turns his attention to Kabul, Afghanistan, as U.S. Ambassador of Afghanistan, to help end the conflict there.

Crocker’s goals while Ambassador of Afghanistan, focused around political and humanitarian interests, are to get soldiers out of Afghanistan as quickly and as smoothly as possible, while at the same time conveying patience about the act, and to help stabilize the Afghan government in Kabul. He feels that each move the U.S. makes needs to be based of careful consideration and patient thinking. Crocker says that “the United States [can] not afford to walk away anytime soon. The United States had abandoned Afghanistan once before, after its war with the Soviet Union in 1989, with disastrous consequences — the rise of the Taliban” (

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New York Times). In other words, Crocker knows what can happen if the U.S. is to leave Afghanistan before being able to properly secure the government, so his primary interest in this war, is to ensure there is not a repeat of events. Also,one of Crocker’s biggest challenges is “building workable Afghan political institutions by the time Karzai’s term in office” (The Washington Post), and the end of the U.S.-NATO military mission in 2014. Crocker is there to work on this, along with developing a strategic partnership deal between Afghanistan and the United States that would extend beyond 2014.Next, Crocker realizes that“al-Qaeda’s future is inextricably linked with that of Afghanistan and the Taliban. Al-Qaeda is not [in Afghanistan] because we are . . . If we decide to go home before it is ready, you could see a Talibanization of this country and a return to the conditions that existed pre-9/11” (The Washington Post). If for some reason the United States was to leave without leaving behind the proper support to allow the creation of a proper government for Afghanistan, then all of our efforts over the past 10 years will be of little value. Ultimately, Crocker’s involvement in the War of Afghanistan as U.S. Ambassador, is “merely to help the Afghans create a good-enough government, not necessarily a model democracy” (New York Times). Throughout the long hard process of doing so, Crocker feels as if the situation is not hopeless, but patience is needed to get through the tough times.=====

Based on the above information, Ryan Crocker would most likely answer the question: “When should the United States leave Afghanistan?” by saying we should not leave until there is stability in the country of Afghanistan, but troops should continue to slowly be removed as we work to do so. Crocker is a man of patience and accuracy, and he knows from past experience what would happen if the U.S. is to leave too soon. Crocker say’s in the Washington Post, “I know Americans are tired of war. I’m kind of tired, too”. With this in mind, the War in Afghanistan can only end once peace or at least stability is created; In order to end this conflict for good, the U.S. needs to display patience and to leave Afghanistan fully only after stability is reached.

Diehl, Jackson. "Ryan Crocker’s ‘strategic patience’ in Afghanistan."

Washington Post 11 Sept. 2011: n. pag. The Washington Post//. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. [].
A quality perspective will: •Answer the questions in extended power paragraphs. inconsistently used •Draw evidence from two high quality, credible sources. •Cite evidence internally and in a Works Cited-- internal citations inaccurately formatted. •Post your entry on the wiki by Friday, December 9th.

1. Introduce your person and explain why he/she has a credible opinion on the War in Afghanistan. Credit source 2. Describe your person's perspective on the U.S.'s involvement in Afghanistan. Your answer should address following bullet points: •Why is he/she interested in Afghanistan? Is it personal, political, social, economic, religious, humanitarian, etc? •How was this person affected when the Taliban controlled Afghanistan •How has this person been affected by the United States presence in Afghanistan? •How would this person's life change if the United States left Afghanistan abruptly? 3. How would your person answer the question: When should the United States leave Afghanistan? Credit source