Becca+J.+--Afghan+War

Home Small Wars Project Perspectives on Afganistan Midterm Assignment Student Recommendations - Position Essays

TASK II: Write and Post a POSITION ESSAY to the wiki. Due Thursday, December 15th. Write an essay that advances a well-supported position on the question below and post it on: Student Recommendations wiki **How should the United States proceed in Afghanistan? ** Position Essay RUBRIC: A quality will essay will •open by setting up a context for the question--briefly explain why the unites States is fighting a war in Afghanistan, •develop a position or specific answer to the question that precisely states how the United States should proceed in Afghanistan, •use two criteria of the Just War Theory to analyze to what extent the U.S.'s involvement in Afghanistan is a Just War, •use three Perspectives to support your explanation of why our involvement in the war benefits or harms AFGHANIS •use three different Perspectives to support your explanation of why the war benefits or harms AMERICANS, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px;">•draw supporting information from the articles studied in class which are posted on Moodle, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px;">•wrap up the essay by restating the key reasons why your position is the best way for the U.S. to proceed in Afghanistan. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px;">•organize your ideas in extended power paragraphs, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px;">•establish the credibility of sources, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px;">•cite sources internally and in a Works Cited, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px;">•edit language errors from writing, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14px;">•post the essay on <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #800000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Student Recommendations

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">September 11, 2001: a day that would impact our country for the next decade, and, possibly, longer. Terrorist attacks occured on our freedom and our way of life. The United States went into the war of Afghanistan for revenge. We went in to fight for our freedom, but stayed in to fight for everyone's safety. This fight turned into a war our country would spend their time and money on for grueling years. Coming out of Afghanistan now would be a waste of our efforts put into the war. The time to come out of the war would be when there is a stable government that can assure safety and security to their citizens. But until they have a stable government, the United States should stay in the war, to finish what we started and protect all people.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Going into the war, our country was determined on revenge. We wanted our enemies to feel the pain that had devastated us. In our mind, the balance had not been set equal. This thought process shows comparative justice: when a country does wrong to you, you deserve to hit back. Revenge. That's all the Americans could think about. But once we got into this war, our point of views were confused and blurred. We realized that our country was not the only one to be devastated and our citizens were not the only ones to be living in fear. A just cause was brought to mind. The United States stayed in Afghanistan and even engaged more troops to protect lives. Afghanistan can be viewed as a just war because of the United States intention on restoring stability and safety to the government and people.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">This war would do more help than harm to Afghanistan and its future. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">Wahidullah Shahrani, studied by Elena M., is the Afghanistan Minister of Mines. Expecting to help the Afghanistan economy that has been devastated for years, he is in the process of creating four projects that have high expectations (Elena M.). Shahrani sees first hand what minerals Afghanistan has been living on. With an abundance of copper and gold deposits, the future economy looks stunning. But if Taliban takes over the copper and gold deposits could be given and used by a corrupted government once again sending Afghanistan into an economic downfall. If the United States stay in the war to secure safety and stability, these deposits can help Afghanistan out of the economic trudge they've been in. The United States securing stability can benefit Afghans in more than economic ways. General John R. Allen, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force, has served under Petraeus and Mattis, giving him a military back round and credible view to the war. His aspect is that we need to stay "however long it takes for the Afghanistan government to become a more stable and less corrupt government (Bobby B.)." Because of the Taliban, he believes that future challenges will be brought into view and the United States will be able to help Afghanistan through troubled times. Secretary of defense, Leon Panetta, believe the progess that we have made in Afghanistan is due to our new long and enduring relationship. We've brought the forces in, saved lives, and done all we could to make a stable government. With our help, Afghanistan has been pointed in the right direction.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">An enduring relationship will also help the United States. In the future, if we ever get into more small wars in the Middle East, we will have an ally that can support us that is strong. Panetta believes that this relationship has saved Afghanistan as well as given an ally to the U.S. More than one person agrees that this war can help Americans' relationship with Pakistan. Lexie M. researched Talat Masood, a famous Pakistani politcian for her wiki page and found that he agreed that relationships need to be worked out before this Afghanistan war comes to close. "He thinks that when the US and Pakistan get along again, is when we can start to ease troops out of the Middle East (Lexie M.)." This would help the countries and nations unit making the world a safer environment for everyone. Also agreeing with this general idea is Cameron Munter. Cameron Munter is the Ambassador to Pakistan and Lydia E., who studied his views on Afghanistan, believes that he wants the U.S.'s and Pakistan's relationship to expand. Having these relationships will eliminate a possible enemy and give a relieve a little bit of fear.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Another aspect of the war to consider is the attacks that are happening now. Recently, a suicide bomber attcked a group of Shiites and killed at least 54 people. This attack was religiously motivated and causes a sense of fear in the Shiites. The United States went into Afghanistan because of the 9/11 was one of the most devastating days in America's history. President Karzai expresses that the Shiite attack had the same affect on most Afghanistans. Karzai said that "the first time that on such an important religious day in Afghanistan terrorism of that horrible nature is taking place (Associated Press)."

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Afghanistan's corrupt government will on give Taliban the power to once again take over if we leave. The United States need to stay in Afghanistan until people are able to walk to the grocery store without fearing for their lives. Also, the United States can help Afghanistan back on their feet and become a more secure place, not only for safety, but for a healthy economy as well.

A quality will essay will •open by setting up a context for the question--briefly explain why the unites States is fighting a war in Afghanistan, clearly done •develop a position or specific answer to the question that precisely states how the United States should proceed in Afghanistan, clearly done •use two criteria of the Just War Theory to analyze to what extent the U.S.'s involvement in Afghanistan is a Just War, clearly done •use three Perspectives to support your explanation of why our involvement in the war benefits or harms Afghanis, three perspectives referenced •use three different Perspectives to support your explanation of why the war benefits or harms Americans three perspectives referenced •draw supporting information from the articles studied in class which are posted on Moodle, some articles referenced •wrap up the essay by restating the key reasons why your position is the best way for the U.S. to proceed in Afghanistan. Focused summary made • organize your ideas in extended power paragraphs, competently done--make sure you always follow a citation with a sentence explaining why it gives your thesis authority •establish the credibility of sources, sources credited •cite sources internally and in a Works Cited, done, internal citation shave formatting errors; WC correct except you should truncate the web address after .com •edit language errors from writing, minor spelling, grammar and other language usage errors •post the essay on Student Recommendations done

Associated Press. "Dozens Dead in Rare Attacks on Afghan Shiites." <span style="background-color: #fff9e5; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">NPR . N.p., 6 Dec. 2011. Web. 16 Dec. 2011. <http://www.npr.org/2011/12/06/143188623/ dozens-dead-in-rare-attacks-on-afghan-shiites>.

B., Bobby. "General John R. Allen." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies . N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2011. <http://buchholtzsidoramericanstudies.wikispaces.com/ General+John+R.+Allen%2C+commander+NATO>.

E., Lydia. "Cameron Munter." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies . N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://buchholtzsidoramericanstudies.wikispaces.com/ Cameron+Munter%2C+U.S.+Ambassador+to+Pakistan>.

M., Elena. "Wahidullah Shahrani." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies . N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2011. <http://buchholtzsidoramericanstudies.wikispaces.com/ Wahidullah+Shahrani%2C+Afghan+Ministry+of+Mines>.

M., Lexie. "Talat Masood." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies . N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2011. <http://buchholtzsidoramericanstudies.wikispaces.com/ Talat+Masood%2C+Pakistani+political+commentator>.

N., Mitch. "Leon Panetta." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies . N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2011. <http://buchholtzsidoramericanstudies.wikispaces.com/ Secretary+of+Defense%2C+Leon+E.+Panetta>.