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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; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alex Kern Buchholtz/Sidor Position Essay 12/16/11

The United States has been in Afghanistan since the September 11 attacks. After the attacks, we invaded Afghanistan in hopes to diminish the Taliban, an Islamic extremist group, who had provided a safe haven for Osama bin Laden and his terrorist group, al-Qaeda. The United States had a “rapid victory” over the Taliban, but has remained in Afghanistan up until now to help the Afghan nation recover from the Taliban’s control. Recently, there have been many questions as to whether the United States should pull out or stay in Afghanistan. I believe that, for the sake of Americans and Afghan citizens, the United States needs to stay in Afghanistan until at least 2014 as planned; slowly pulling out troops and lessening the money supply along the way. However, I believe that if the Afghanistan is not stable enough by 2014, we should stay a little longer until the country can stand on its own and the military can fend for themselves.

The war in Afghanistan is considered a just war based on the proportionality and last resort properties of the jus ad bellum criteria for war. According to the proportionality property of a just war, “waging a war must be proportionate to it’s expected evils”(the Criteria for a Just War). We became involved in Afghanistan because of the September 11 World Trade Center attacks by al-Qaeda. Therefore, since we were attacked first, and the citizens of the United States were endangered by the actions of this terrorist group, our reason for going to war was just. Also, according to the last resort property of war, our reasons for going to war in Afghanistan were just. We fought only because we had no other choice and the lives of innocent Americans were in immediate danger. Thus making the war in Afghanistan a just war.

If the United States were to leave Afghanistan, there would be more harm done than if we stayed for a few more years. If the United States were to pull out right now, it is very possible that the Taliban could come back into power and take over the country once again. The United State’s presence in Afghanistan doesn’t only benefit the Afghani’s, but it also benefits the citizens of Pakistan as well. If the American and NATO troops were not present, the Taliban could easily be in control and could harm both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Hasan Askari Rizvi, the National Security Analyst in Pakistan, agrees with my position to stay in Afghanistan. According to Abby Wilmer’s wiki page, “there are about three million Afghans living in Pakistan as refugees or otherwise”, and Rizvi would, of course, want the US troops to withdraw so that the refugees may return home, but “if [the US and NATO] leave in a hurry, the Taliban will overwhelm the Afghan army and the police...[therefore] there is no honorable exit for the allied troops”(Rizvi 1). Another perspective is the one of Ryan Crocker, the current Ambassador of Afghanistan. Crocker’s goal, the same as many other Americans, is to get troops out of Afghanistan as smoothly and as quickly as possible. However, “He feels that each move the US makes needs to be based on careful consideration and patient thinking”(Stacy G). He states that “the United States [can] not afford to walk away anytime soon. The United States had abandoned Afghanistan once before, after it’s war with the Soviet Union in 1989, with disastrous consequences--the rise of the Taliban”(New York Times). Crocker knows the potential hazards of removing troops before Afghanistan can stand on it’s own. The United States does not want to repeat the events of the Taliban, thus staying in the country until the military is strong enough is ideal. Also, the Afghani’s benefit from the Unites States involvement in the war by receiving money with military and political funds. Robert B. Zoellick, President of the World Bank, states that “total aid to Afghanistan last year was equivelent to 91 percent of its economy, but most military and other aid was spent outside the country”(Zoellick). The United States is very involved in the economy of Afghanistan, and if we are to pull out before the country is stable, the Afghan economy will collapse. Therefore, my position on staying in Afghanistan until the country is stable, while slowly removing troops, is the best possible solution.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On the flip side, our involvement in this war has cause the harm to the US, however, if we were to pull out sooner than intended, the amount of harm would increase. According to The Economist, “Since 2001 vast sums of Western money have been spent on Afghanistan--$440 billion by America alone”(The Economist). If we were to pull out now, the United States would have spent all of that money for nothing. As Stacy says in her wiki page about Robert B. Zoellick, “He[Zoellick] wants to stay in Afghanistan because he thinks that all the work we put into the country will be reversed over the years”(Stacy G.). Everything the United States has put into Afghanistan, including the large amounts of money, will become a waste if we leave before the country is stable. Another part of my position for proceeding in Afghanistan is to start cutting down on the amounts of money we give to Afghanistan. There have already been budget cuts made by the United States for aid groups, and there will continue to be more in the future. Rob Nordland, author of a New York Times article on this issue, states that “Many aid groups, even those hard hit by the cutbacks, are not sure they are devastating losses, at least in the short term. In an effort to use aid money to help the military’s counterinsurgency strategy, money sometimes poured in faster than it could be spent. Now, at least, many hope it will be spent more effectively”(Nordland). By cutting down this budget, it benefits both Americans and the aid groups. The United States is able to save money to improve their own economy and the aid groups are able to rationalize the amount they need to spend and be frugal with their money. Also, we have the potential to be in serious danger if we pull of out Afghanistan before it is strong enough. Ryan Crocker, Ambassador to Afghanistan, 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). This could make the Taliban and al-Qaeda stronger, which could possibly result to another terrorist attack on the US and the loss of many lives. However, by being in Afghanistan, we[the United States] have strengthened our relationship with Afghanistan and have gained their trust and made them loyal(Mitch N). My position on staying in Afghanistan will not only benefit the Afghani’s but it will also benefit the Americans and protect them from another tragedy.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Overall, I believe that if the United States could withdraw it’s troops by 2014, that would be the most ideal situation. However, if Afghanistan is not strong enough by that time, I think that the United States should proceed by staying in Afghanistan until the country is stable enough to act on its own. Meanwhile, by slowly removing troops and cutting down the aid budget, the United States will be able to rebuilt its broken economy and Afghanistan can start its own economy. I believe if the US stays in Afghanistan, the country will be able to rebuilt itself and there will be no more problems in the future.

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. Focused summary made • organize your ideas in extended power paragraphs, competently done •establish the credibility of sources, sources credited •cite sources internally and in a Works Cited, done--minor formatting errors •edit language errors from writing, edited for language usage errors •post the essay on Student Recommendations done

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Works Cited:

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> -Rizvi, Hasan A. "ANALYSIS: Withdrawal from Afghanistan —Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi." Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan. WorldCALL Internet Solutions, 28 Nov. 2011. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. < [] >.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zoellick, Robert B. "Afghanistan’s biggest need: a flourishing economy." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Washington Post. Katharine Weymouth, 22 July 2011. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. < [|http://www.washingtonpost.com] >.

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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> New York Times 26 July 2011: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. [|http://topics.nytimes.com]. =====

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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Diehl, Jackson. "Ryan Crocker’s ‘strategic patience’ in Afghanistan."Washington Post 11 Sept. 2011: n. pag. The Washington Post//. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. [|http://www.washingtonpost.com]. =====

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stacy G. Ryan Crocker,, Perspectives on Afghanistan, Buchholtz/Sidor American Studies, 14 Dec 2011.

Abby W. Hasan Askari Rizvi,, Perspectives on Afghanistan, Buchholtz/Sidor American Studies, 14 Dec 2011.

Mitch N. Leon Panetta,, Perspectives on Afghanistan, Buchholtz/Sidor American Studies, 14 Dec 2011.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nordland, Rod. "Aid Agencies in Afghanistan Fear Reversals After US Exit." The New York Times 5 Dec. 2011: n. pag. NYTimes.com. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/world/asia/ us-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-worries-aid-groups.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1>.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Investing or a-whoring?" The Economist 26 Nov. 2011, Print ed.: n. pag. Print.