Graham+D.+--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="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff8700; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 21px;">Post Recommendation Here

Graham Devine

American Studies

Friday, December 15, 2011

How the United States Should Proceed in Afghanistan Should American forces leave Afghanistan, if so when? We invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 as a response to the attacks of 9/11 and because the insurgent Taliban was hosting a safe haven for Osama Bin Laden and his terrorist group, al-Qaeda. I believe that American should exit Afghanistan in the year 2014.

The war in Afghanistan is a just war under jus ad bellum’s just cause and right intention criteria. In where under right intention the U.S. was trying to correct a suffered wrong because of the attacks of 9/11. Just cause was used in were innocent life was in danger or the lives of civilians across the world that al-Qaeda could have harmed. The second criteria for a just war is Jus in bello and the afghan war fall under distinction and military necessity. For military necessity a relatively small group of soldiers was sent in to defeat the enemy. For distinction the acts of war are directed towards enemy combatants because of the circumstances they created.

The United States involvement in Afghanistan both benefit and harm Afghanis. One way they benefit off U.S. troops being in their country is that al-Qaeda is no longer around their homes. Another way Americas involvement in Afghanistan has harmed Afghans is that women’s rights are further restricted. People think that we are helping women gain their rights but instead we are doing the opposite. The Hindu a Indian newspaper states about the U.S. trying to help women “ Such entrenched social systems cannot be re-engineered by outsiders, however well-intentioned ”(Hundu). One way the Unites States involvement has helped Afghans is that we are keeping their economy somewhat afloat. In Brooks Mason’s perspective research about Afghanistan president, brooks wrote, “With the huge economical depression Afghanistan is in, they could use all the help they could get. Karzai appreciates the US’s help and aid they are giving to Afghanistan and wants them to stay longer that they actually plan on staying”(Mason). The U.S. is both helping and hurting Afghans.

America’s involvement in Afghanistan is mostly hurting American soldiers and our economy. The LA times wrote that 1 of every 4 dollars spent on wartime contracting was wasted or misspent”(L.A. Times). Another way the war in Afghanistan is causing harm to America is by killing out troops, “1039 in the nine years we have been there”(USA Today). The war in Afghanistan is also helping the U.S. because we are helping what we consider an ally and are depressing the global threats of terrorism. In Michael W’s perspective wiki on John McCain, Michael writes “He [McCain] believes the last time the world abandoned Afghanistan, it fell into violence. The 9/11attacks were maybe the worst terrorist attacks in the history of the world and McCain believes we need to prevent anything like that from happening again”(Michael W’s perspective wiki).

I believe that we (Americans) should start leaving Afghanistan now but slowly and gradually make our way out by 2014. Leaving in 2014 also give us two years to think of other ways to help benefit both America and Afghanistan. All my sources were credible because they are part of a major media outlet, like the L.A. times or USA Today. Also many of the people I looked at have been to Afghanistan or have fought in another war and know what war is like. Also I quoted experts from out class wiki page. America and its troops should exit Afghanistan slowly and be out by the year 2014.

Works Cited

Bunting, Madeleine. "The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : The Afghan War and the Myth of Women's Rights." //The Hindu : Home Page News & Features//. The Hindu, 4 Oct. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://www.thehindu.com>.

Bilmes, Linda J., and Joseph E. Stiglitz. "America's Too-costly War on Terror - Los Angeles Times." //Featured Articles From The Los Angeles Times//. The Los Angeles Times, 18 Sept. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://articles.latimes.com>.

Neuharth, Al. "With General Fired, Bring Troops Home - USATODAY.com." //News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com//. New York Times, 25 June 2010. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://www.usatoday.com>.

Michael M. John McCain, Perspectives on Afghanistan, Buchholtz/Sidor American Studies, 14 Dec 2011. 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, all 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. summary made • organize your ideas in extended power paragraphs, competently done •establish the credibility of sources, some sources credited •cite sources internally and in a Works Cited, internal citations not done for wiki sources, some format errors; not all sources cite in WC, format correct •edit language errors from writing, few spelling, grammar and other language usage errors •post the essay on Student Recommendations done