POLI+390+S14+Afghan


 * STUDY GUIDE FOR IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN MID-TERM [Tuesday, 21 October]**


 * Islam**

Why Muslim women wear the veil []

Muslims: Frequently Asked Questions []

Quick Guide: Sunnis and Shias (BBC News) []

Why the Sunnis and Shias are fighting (Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/01/22/why-sunnis-and-shias-are-fighting- explained-in-two-minutes/


 * ISIS**

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: Islamic State's driving force http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28560449

What is Islamic State? http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29052144

Islamic State: Where does jihadist group get its support? http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29004253

How ISIS works http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/09/16/world/middleeast/how-isis-works.html

The Unlikeliest of Coalitions: Can Adversaries Become Allies to Fight ISIS? http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/opinion/sunday/can-adversaries-become-allies-to-fight-isis.html?_r=0


 * Afghanistan**

Country Profiles (BBC News): Afghanistan http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12011352

Timeline: Soviet war in Afghanistan (BBC News) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7883532.stm
 * Soviet period**:

After Soviets withdrew, Afghanistan degenerated into civil war.


 * Taliban:**

Taliban brought some order to the country.

Taliban introduced hard-line version of Islam.

Taliban agreed to let Osama bin Laden have sanctuary in Afghanistan.

Who is Osama Bin Laden? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1551100.stm

US probably would have left them Afghanistan and Taliban alone.

"Who are the Taliban?" (FRONTLINE) http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/afghanistan604/who.html Click on and read each of the following tabs under "A Timeline to Power" The Taliban Emerge (1994) The Fall of Kandahar and Kabul (1996) New Order Under Sharia Law (1996 to 1998) Sanctions, Atrocities and Reprisals (1999 to 2001) Taliban In Retreat, Karzai on the Rise (2002 to 2005) The Taliban Are Back (2005) Afghanistan: A New Iraq? (2006) The Poppy Rises (2006 to 2007) A New Offensive (2007)

Who are the Taliban? (BBC News) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11451718


 * Why did US get involved in Afghanistan?**

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/campaign/etc/cron.html
 * Fighting on two fronts: a chronology [USE THIS ONE A LOT]

9/11 attacks led US to invade Afghanistan to eliminate Osama bin Laden (then based in Afghanistan)


 * US military approach in Afghanistan**

Counter-insurgency (COIN) versus counter-terrorism (CT)

a. Who is our main enemy: Taliban

Our war aims sort of got mixed up between [initially] going after Osama bin Laden and Al Qaida with the continuous conflict against the Taliban insurgency.

Taliban: natives to Afghanistan>>>>Counter-Insurgency (COIN) Al Qaeda (foreign fighters)>>>>Counter-terrorism (CT)

b. How has the US approached the war?

We have flip-flopped on our approach:

Counter-insurgency (COIN) [nation-building] to defeat the Taliban

But we limited ourselves to a "light footprint."

US Political issue of NATION BUILDING

Counter-terrorism (CT) [to defeat Al Qaeda]

2003 US invasion of Iraq Light footprint got lighter after we got involved in Iraq; resources diverted to Iraq


 * Issues in the debate over how to proceed: COIN versus CT**

COIN: we have to work through the Afghan government. That has problems [see below] CT: we can do this through raids on high-value targets. That has problems, too.

What is the nature of the current insurgency? Can the Afghan government defeat it?

"Afghanistan's hidden Taliban government" (New York Times) []

Several specific military operations [dilemma of winning hearts and minds vs combat ops]

Battle Company is Out There (Korengal Valley) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/magazine/24afghanistan-t.html?pagewanted=all

U.S. retreat from Afghan valley marks recognition of blunder (Korengal Valley) Read each of the 4 pages of the article http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/14/AR2010041401012.html

"Toggling Between Fighting and Outreach [making nice] in Afghanistan" http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/toggling-between-fighting-and-outreach-in-afghanistan/


 * Pakistan's role in the Afghan conflict**

Country Profiles (BBC News): Pakistan http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12965779

Role of Pakistan (Interview with Robert Kaplan) [USE THIS ONE A LOT] http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/warbriefing/interviews/kaplan.html

What is Pakistan's role in this entire issue?

In their own country: main enemy is India to the east.

They want a weak Afghanistan (one they can control) on their west.

Key to our war in Afghanistan: Sanctuary in Pakistan.

Pakistan provides a sanctuary for our enemy (Al Qaida as well as Taliban).

Porous border (1,500 miles long) between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Even Where Pakistani Law Exists, Taliban Find a Porous Border" http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/world/asia/05baluch.html?hpw

Three different aspects to this issue:

a) Pakistan's choice after 9/11. Support US.

But they have played off both ends against the middle since then.

Is Pakistan an ally of the US or an enemy or both (frenemy)?

b) Pakistan as a sanctuary for the enemy. But nuances within this view.

c) What if US withdraws?

This is one part of the dilemma from Pakistan's point of view


 * Where things now stand in Afghanistan**

Afghanistan: Before and after the Taliban http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26747712

Hamid Karzai: Profile of Afghanistan's President (BBC News) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3135938.stm

The Women of Afghanistan http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/09/the-women-of-the-afghanistan-war/100585/

Afghan's new President: Ashraf Ghani http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27142426

Afghanistan First Lady moves into the limelight http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29601045

Key points in U.S.-Afghan bilateral security agreement http://www.rferl.org/content/explainer-bsa-afghan-us-security-agreement-bsa/26613884.html

What kind of Afghanistan will foreign forces leave? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-25410582

Why Afghanistan may never eradicate opium http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21548230