Midterm

Hi Everyone! Dani and I were talking about the final and we came up with an idea that we could all do powerpoints/pecha kucha presentations pretty much summarizing/expanding on our person/country's opinions on the issues that we have discussed in the summit. Let us know your thoughts!

American killed by Afghan Embassy Worker

Afghan employee killed a US embassy worker at a Kabul hotel which is believed to be one of the CIA offices

Setback in the Peace Process

The leader of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, Burhanuddin Rabbani, was killed yesterday in a suicide bomb attack.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/world/asia/Burhanuddin-Rabbani-afghan-peace-council-leader-assassinated.html?_r=2&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2

KORAN VS HADITH

What parts have you guys read that stand out to you?

KOE

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL BY AHMED RASHID, AUTHOR OF "TALIBAN," DISCUSSING AF-PAK WAR

This was on the front page of the opinon section of the Times this Sunday, 9/11. The author, Ahmed Rashid, is also the author of "Taliban," which a third of our class is reading. As a Pakistani himself, Rashid makes some itneresting points, many of which parallel Hoh's Speech at the City Club Forum. It's a long article, but very interesting and very relevant to this class! please read!!!! www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/opinion/sunday/and-hate-begat-hate.html?scp=1&spq=rashid&st=cse -H

Leaderless Jihad

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/feb/19/leaderless-jihad/

Sageman's book gives an interesting insight on how to best counter extremist Islamic terrorism. It also gives another reason why our current strategy is ineffective.

Af-Pak Communal Timeline and Terms List

This is the link to a Google Doc which everyone should be able to access and edit. It might be beneficial to have a communal timeline and terms list in case we have managed to miss some events or names or whatnot. This will also be a good place to reference events or terms for later tests or projects. Af-Pak Timeline Af-Pak Terms List

NPR: Drone Strikes in Pakistan

Here's a link to a quick 5 minute segment on NPR's All Things Considered, which discusses U.S. drone strikes in Afghanistan. The segment discusses the pros and cons of conducting drone strikes in Pakistan. A variety of security experts and high level defense officials provide quick commentary both supporting and denouncing the strikes.

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/06/140216985/an-open-secret-drone-warfare-in-pakistan

TALIBAN AND ISLAM

Video on the Taliban interpitation of the Koran has been deemed inaccurate by Islamic leaders.

https://webmail.hawken.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=ed79152e8621453e8a4596e56b6be502&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dmHgAVC3UOZw

Recent Developments, an Article by former Taliban Prisoner Jere Van Dyk, and a Video Showing Disabled Vehicles on an Afghan Road

"Missing Germans Found Dead in Afghanistan" "Taliban raid from Afghanistan kills 25 Pakistan troops" "Inside the Jihad: Remembrances from a Former Taliban Prisoner" "From Ghazni to Kabul"

RECENT ATTACKS IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN

These articles describe attacks by the taliban and the local militants against both civilians and US military during the past month.

http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=236448
http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=233713
http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=233476
http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=236108
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/06/world/la-fg-afghanistan-chopper-20110807

U.S. Identifies Vast Mineral Riches in Afghanistan

This article discusses the recently discovered mines in Afghanistan. The discovered deposits of minerals may be worth around $1 trillion including possibly the world's largest deposit of lithium. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html

NPR Clip Featuring Russian Ambassador Discussing Afghanistan

NPR'S Renee Montage asks the ambassador about how the U.S. should proceed in Afghanistan. This interview provides an different perspective to American's involvement in the region. A lot of the points we've covered in class like Helmand Provence and "Little America" are mentioned.

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/05/140148853/russian-ambassador-to-u-s-dont-flee-afghanistan

Joao Silva: ‘This Is What I Do. This Is All That I Know.’

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/30/this-is-what-i-do-this-is-all-that-i-know/ Here are some pictures taken by a photo journalist. They show photos from both sides of the war and I highly recommend checking it out. Also, along with the photos, if you scroll down, you'll see an article on what it's like being a photojournalist in a war like this. I thought it was pretty interesting.

Post 9/11 War on Terror Strains US-Pakistan Relations

Posted on September 2, 2011, this video describes the current state of Afghanistan and what is to come. A few Afghans express their hopes and fears as the US plans to withdraw. Most pray that Afghanistan becomes a strong country of its own, free from Taliban rule and authority. The US hopes to leave Afghanistan with a strong military and reliable economy. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/south/Post-911-War-on-Terror-Strains-US-Pakistan-Relations-129056723.html

Afghan Police Release Taliban Phone Recordings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1l6zJz6f7s

Al Jazeera News aired recording of Taliban Phone calls that had been released by Afghan Security Officials - the phone call is between a Taliban fraction at a Kabul hotel and Pakistani rebel groups. 21 people dies when suicide bombers stormed the hotel in the middle of the night. This is thought to have been executed by the Haqanni controlled Taliban (Al Jazeera News).

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Taliban, Mujahadeen and Al Qaeda: Are they all innner-linked?

This interesting article explains Why al Qaeda is still a threat in Afghanistan and by doing this suggests many links between Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Taliban, the Mujahadeen and Al Qaeda.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20101615-503543.html

10th Anniversary of 9/11

As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, this video and article describe how the US intelligence has been transformed due to the attacks on 9/11 and why the United States was unable to prevent the attacks from occurring.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/911-Attacks-Forced-Changes-in-US-Intelligence-al-Qaida--128812958.html

9/11 Blowback

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/opinion/02iht-edgreenway02.html?_r=1&ref=afghanistan

New York Times reporter, H.D.S. Greenway, speaks to the ways America's reaction to the 9/11 attacks have made them the most successful terrorist attacks to date. The attacks caused fear, caused panic, and forced America to act in a way that is turning out harmful for the country. America's failure to end the two "wars" in Iraq and Afghanistan is simply fueling the attack's power. "...the sad and counterproductive rise of anti-muslim attitudes in both Europe and the United States sinice 9/11 testify that Bin Laden was not entirely unsuccessful in driving a wedge between the Islamic world and the west" (Greenway).

What's Next For Afghanistan?

President Obama's announcement that more than 30,000 troops will withdraw from Afghanistan within the next year has sparked a great deal of concern amongst the people affected most by this decision: the Afghan civilians. Much of what Matthew Hoh stated in his City Club speech is a reality for the Afghan people. Many are skeptical that the national military and the federal government are strong enough to combat the Taliban, given their long history of corruption and tribal loyalty. Additionally, the withdrawal of troops has been predicted to lead to economic ruin. As of now, many foreign businesses have begun their own withdrawal from Afghanistan, fearing the worst as the country slowly creeps towards, what many believe to be, civil war. Some have begun to say that it was a mistake for the United States to enter Afghanistan in the first place, claiming that the Taliban will now take revenge on those who welcomed the foreign intervention. This article features quotes from several local Afghans as they speak about their views on what’s to come. (Admittedly, these views are overwhelmingly dismal). Read the full article here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jbT7fp4zXJsuk7sYN8oJYQA2Ntgw?docId=29b481f1ca3c44078b81c596137c1271

"Messengers of Death" - The Blood Toll in Afghanistan

"According to partial data collected by the Institute for Conflict Management from open sources, there have been 735 suicide attacks since September 9, 2001, killing at least 3,753 people." The extremist attacks in Afghanistan have targeted not only the Afghan military, government, and police, but have also claimed countless civilian lives. This article is mainly a statistical report that convincingly shows how even in 2011, the attacks have shown no signs of subsiding. While automotive accidents make up the majority of the annual death toll in the United States, this article reports that 49% of civilian casualties in Afghanistan are from suicide bombings. At this stage, there is still much to be done before Afghanistan can be made safe for its people. Even if we ignore the financial support that the Taliban receives from the ISI or corrupt government officials, the logistics of bomb-manufacturing, such as the smuggling of ammonium nitrate, poses a huge problem on its own. Additionally, the article also references the extremist nature of Pakistani madrassas - the indoctrination of children with views of hatred towards the West also needs to be addressed before total stability can be achieved. Read the full article here: http://www.washingtonbanglaradio.com/content/93232811-afghanistan-messengers-death

German Hospital Saving American Lives

With all the sullen and negative reporting coming out of Afghanistan and Iraq now, it's nice to finally hear a story about American survivors rather than casualties. The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, a US military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, is at the forefront of military medicine. The medical center carries a 99.5% survival rate in its trauma unit, an incredibly impressive feat given the challenges of military injuries. Many injured soldiers actually choose to have their surgeries done at this hospital because of its innovation and success. The full article delves into many specific modernizations that the LRMC is using. I know that this story does not directly deal with what we are/have been studying, but it is an interesting and heart-warming aside, and it's always good to know that, through all of the tumult of war, amazing things are still happening. You can read the full article here.

Karzai Reportedly Sabotaged US Peace Talks in Afghanistan

The Atlantic just (within 20 minutes of posting) released an article with a report that accuses Hamid Karzai of sabotaging secret US peace talks with the Taliban that were held in 2010 and 2011. Worried that he was being forced out of the talks, Karzai deliberately made the negotiations public by leaking information about them. The Taliban translator immediately fled, ending all negotiations. You can read the full article here.

Another Draft?

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/207860/20110902/afghanistan-war-afghanistan-war-draft-military-army-u-s-army-pentagon-navy-air-force-marines-departm.htm?cid=2

In this very interesting article, the author tries to proclaim that the only way to finish what we started and win the Afghanistan War is to have another "draft" of young men and women. The fact that he brings up drafting women is quite absurd because that has never been done in American history. I'm not saying that it's a bad idea, I'm just saying more than half of the women would opt out of getting drafted which would make it pointless. Read and tell me what you guys think....

Russian Ambassador to United States: Don't Flee Afghanistan

In this article, the Russian ambassador to Afghanistan is advising the United States to not pull out of Afghanistan precipitously. His reasoning, development in the 60's is still, today, Afghanistan's first necessity, and the first priority for a big time country like the U.S.

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/05/140148853/russian-ambassador-to-u-s-dont-flee-afghanistan

You may also listen to the interview by clicking on the link and clinking "listen now"

"Former Jihadist at the Heart of Libya's Revolution"

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/09/02/libya.belhaj.profile/index.html?iref=allsearch

I found this article particularly interesting as it connects the legacy of the mujahideen fighters during the Soviet war in Afghanistan to the current situation in Libya. As we discussed in class, the mujahideen received a great amount of support from the CIA, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to help defeat the Soviets. A group we have not mentioned however, are the LIFG, or the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group that also went into Afghanistan in the late 1980s to support the jihad. After the Soviets were driven out of Afghanistan, Abdul Haakeem Belhaj, a member of the LIFG that fought alongside al Qaeda during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, returned to his home in Libya. Capitalizing on the experience he gained from the anti-Soviet campaign, Belhaj is now an important leader of the Libyan revolt, along with other members of the LIFG. The article explores Belhaj's hopes for Libya, whether his views align with those of the National Transitional Council, and whether his faith is an issue of tension as the rebels imagine the future of Libya, and fear that such a prominent Islamist figure is gaining so much power.

Really Interesting Short Documentary! "Taliban: Behind the Masks"

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkk5HMwCCQE

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On4OE9Ikb4U&feature=related

Interview with Refsdal: http://www.viceland.com/blogs/en/2011/01/24/paul-refsdal/

This two part documentary, Taliban: Behind the Masks, that I found on youtube was shot by a Norwegian journalist named Paul Refsdal. He planned to embed with the Taliban for a month, but his trip was cut short to nine days due to a US coalition attack. A few weeks later, Refsdal was kidnapped by one of the Taliban commanders with whom he had embedded, but was released due to pressure from another Taliban commander and from Pakistani forces.

The second half of this documentary is especially interesting, as it shows many aspects of Taliban lifestyle: praying, playing, family(children), fighting/shooting, etc.

The video also juxtaposes images to blur the "good guy-bad guy" lines of the War. For example, the end of the first video shows Taliban commander Dawran with his two children (very cute), but the documentary ends with a US coalition attack on Dawran's home that leaves him alive but his two children dead.

If you think the video is super interesting (as I did), I would suggest to also read the interview with Refsdal that I posted above.

Here is a video from CNN and an article from NY Times that offer two different opinions from Afghans on the opium problem in Afghanistan. The CNN video shows Afghans destroying an poppy crop because they fear the money it will bring in for the insurgency. The NY Times article shows how much Afghans dislike U.S. soldiers moving to poppy-growing provinces in order to stop the Talibans influx of drug money.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/world/asia/29afghan.html?pagewanted=1&ref=opium

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/06/21/afghanistan.opium/index.html?iref=allsearch

Taliban Guerilla Warfare

Here's an article from the BBC about the Taliban's new tactics shows how helpless the Afghan military is when fighting the Taliban.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13589764

U.S.-Pakistan Relations

Here's an article from CNN that points out how deep our involvement in Pakistan is and states the huge effects our departure would have on both nations. I think this bolsters Hoh's argument for the United States to become an arbiter in the region because the article points out the tensions that have formed between the two nations.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/01/opinion/bergen-pakistan-us-crisis/index.html?iref=allsearch

MSNBC Special Documenting the Decade Long US Reaction to 9/11

Here is a link to an MSNBC special titles "Day of Destruction, Decade of War". The series explores the international terrorists threats facing the US and well as US financial involvement in the war against terror. The special is available in short clips online, if you are interested and have the time I would recommend watching the series, but even watching one or two of the clips if very interesting and informative. (I'm sorry, but I couldn't load the actual video)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/

Narcotics in Afghanistan

This slideshow, accompanied by a short narration, shows the effect of narcotics abuse on Afganistan. With almost 7% of the nation addiced to heroin or opium, and a lack of rehibilitative programs, Afghanistan is feeling the impact of narcotics.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/08/27/world/asia/20110828-KABUL.html?ref=afghanistan#13

Taliban Pictures

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/02/07/world/asia/20110207_taliban_captured.html?ref=taliban

Here are some pictures of Taliban members in Afghanistan that give insight into their daily activities and the pride they have in their group.

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Hi everyone!! I'm just posting this to see if it actually gets on the site.