Elena+M.--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

Elena Medich Sidor Period 8 December 16, 2010 Position Essay

The United States is fighting a war in Afghanistan because in 2001, the Al-Qaeda issued an attack on the United States on September 11. This caused President Bush to declare war against the Al-Qaeda and "...Bush went after Osama bin Laden [Al-Qaeda] and his gang following 9/11" (Neuharth 1). The United States started the war on Afghanistan in 2001 and we need to be the ones to end it. The United States needs to stay in Afghanistan until we feel like their government, military and economy is stable enough that it can stand on its own. The U.S cannot set a date to leave, for example in 2014 because we don't know if something in the future may come and slow or speed up our process.

Since we have basically wiped out the Al-Qaeda for the most part and are now working on the Taliban, we have a responsibility to protect Afghanistan from the Taliban. We need to do this so Afghanistan does not become like Pakistan, which is basically a split country, some people hate the U.S, and some don't. If we leave Afghanistan immediately, then we could leave them in chaos with the Taliban, who are bound to come back if there are no security forces working against them and the country as a whole could become a failed state because the government is overthrown by the Taliban. If Afghanistan is in chaos and its neighbor Pakistan is in chaos, then their neighbor, Iran may try and take over. This is a huge problem because Pakistan is in possession of nuclear weapons and Iran has promised to use nuclear weapons against the U.S if they can get their hands on them. If Iran takes over Afghanistan and Pakistan, then they could use the land to make more groups like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and start a nuclear war against us. If this were to happen to Pakistan and Afghanistan, then we would be fighting a much bigger more expensive war, that could possibly involve so many countries that it starts World War III. The United States should make it its priority to make sure Afghanistan is stable before exiting the country, even if it costs us more money because we could potentially be preventing a much bigger war.

The U.S's involvement in Afghanistan is a Just War because we had a last resort to go to war. The Al-Qaeda attacked us on our own ground so we had no choice but to fight the people who threatened our country. Also, Afghanistan has had military necessity that the U.S has provided to help protect civilians from the Al-Qaeda and Taliban. With that said however, the fact that we've been in the Middle East for ten years doesn't make the Afghanistan War unjust, but it doesn't make it look as Just as the Invasion of Grenada in 1983, because we went in, fought to protect U.S citizens, and were out of the island within a few months.

Our involvement in the war helps Afghans because according to Arabella M's wiki page, Ashraf Ghani, Chairman, Afghan Government Transition believes that the United States should slowly replace military presence with economic presence until Afghanistan is stable enough to be on its own. Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom has a similar idea, he believes that "...[there should be] monitoring until all order is restored [in Afghanistan]." He has the idea that we should be in Afghanistan as long as we need to be. Also, according to Micheal M's wiki page, Vali Nasr, one of Obama's former Afghan advisers believes that the U.S cannot just walk away from Afghanistan right now because as soon as we leave, the Taliban will come right back and take over the country once again. All of these benefit Afghans because these expert opinions want the United States to make Afghanistan a stable country so that they can protect themselves against the Taliban and be able to take care of themselves. If the U.S leaves Afghanistan at a time when the country has a stable government, economy and military, then they can become an independent country and won't need assistance from the United States years from now.

The War in Afghanistan benefits Americans because according Ryan Crocker, the U.S Personnel in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United States should leave Afghanistan as soon as possible, while at the same time ensuring that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda don't come back. "...Roughly 1 of every 4 dollars spent on wartime contracting was wasted or misspent" (Stiglitz). It costs the U.S more money the longer troops are in Afghanistan, so if the United States can get out of the country as soon as possible, it saves Americans money. Also according to Mitch N's wiki page, Leon Panetta, the U.S secretary of Defense wants to leave Afghanistan with good relations. He says that it will be time to leave when the U.S "has ensured that the Afghans will be loyal to [American] again." If we leave the country with good relations, then we may become possible allies with Afghanistan. Finally, if we become allies with Afghanistan, they will be able to be independent and avoid possible attack from Iran. Ismail Salami, an Iranian writer and Middle East expert, wants the United States to leave Afghanistan as soon as possible. This leads me to believe that Iran may have some interest in Afghanistan whether it's taking it over or using it as a military base against the U.S if they don't want us in Afghanistan. If we continue to be involved in this war and stabilize Afghanistan, then we may be avoiding attacks from Iran, which could result in another, maybe bigger Middle East war.

Although the United States government has spent $440 billion on the war in Afghanistan according to the //Economist//, it's important that the U.S doesn't leave Afghanistan in chaos like the Soviet Union did in 1989. We need to make sure the country has a strong and stable government, economy and military so they can fight off terrorist groups like the Taliban or even countries like Iran. This position is the best way for the United States to proceed in Afghanistan because we're avoiding potential war with a country that has promised to use nuclear weapons against us, if they get the opportunity. If Afghanistan becomes a failed state, because we left too early before making the country stable, then it would only be a matter of time before Pakistan becomes a failed state too and then Iran could take over both countries and get Pakistan's nuclear weapons. Then we would be facing a much greater and more expensive war that would be a lot more dangerous. To avoid this, it's important for the United States to stay and stabilize the country of Afghanistan until they can stand on their own.

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, most sources are credited •cite sources internally and in a Works Cited, Internal citations are not provided; WC should be in alphabetical order, otherwise few errors •edit language errors from writing, minor language usage errors •post the essay on Student Recommendations done

Works Cited:

Sidor. "Criteria for a Just War." //American Studies//. Print

Bilmes, Linda J, and Joseph E Stiglitz. "America's costly war machine." //Los// //Angeles Times// 18 Sept. 2011: n. pag. //Los Angeles Times//. Web. 12 Dec. 2011.

"Investing or a-Whoring?" //The Economist//: n. pag. //BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies.wikispaces.com//. Web. 12 Dec. 2011.

Neuharth, Al. "With General Fired, Bring Troops Home." //USA Today// 25 June 2010: n. pag. //BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies.wikispaces.com//. Web. 13 Dec. 2011.

G, Stacy. "U.S Personel in Afghanistan and Pakistan." //BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies//. 2011. Web. 13 Dec. 2011.

N, Mitch. "Leon Panetta." //U.S Government: Executive and Legislative//. 2011. //BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies//. Web. 13 Dec. 2011.

M, Michael. "Vali Nasr." //Think Tanks/ Academia//. 2011. //BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies//. Web. 13 Dec. 2011.

M, Emily. "Ismail Salami." //Central Asian Neighbors//. 2011. //BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies//. Web. 13 Dec. 2011.

C, Ben. "Prime Minister David Cameron, United Kingdom." //International// //Coalition Allies//. 2011. //BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies//. Web. 13 Dec. 2011.

M, Arabella. "Ashraf Ghani, Chairman, Afghan Government Transition." //Afghanistan's Leaders//. 2011. //BuchholtzSidorAmericanStudies//. Web. 13 Dec. 2011.