NAME: ___________________________  DATE: ________________

TEACHER ______________________________          World’s Politics

The War in Afghanistan

By Ryan W., RENO, NV

Afghanistan; the land that has been at war for centuries.

Our fight started there with the tragic attacks on the twin towers on September 11, 2001. Since then we have brought the fight to Al Qaeda’s doorstep and have been performing military operations through all of Afghanistan. This war has been costly on our military forces and our economy but it is a necessary war none the less. If we were to leave Afghanistan now we will lose the progress that our troops have given their lives to help achieve.

Having U.S. presence in Afghanistan has been an eye opener to the outside world to help with it’s improvement. Troops in Afghanistan have helped build schools which has exposed the younger generation Afghanis to technology, new ideas, and drifted them away from the corruption of Taliban forces. In September of 2011, The 10th Mountain Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team helped with the building of eight schools in Kandahar. This is one step further in helping education flourish in Afghanistan. Software for Educational, Entertainment and Training Activities (SEETA) has planned to give students in Kabul a personal computer to help bolster educational possibilities. There are constant efforts to bring Afghanistan to a better standing in our ever growing world.

As our troops slowly return home from the war, Taliban are beginning to reassert themselves in society. The crackdown on women’s rights has always been a strong part of the Taliban presence. This lessened when U.S. presence was prominent there. Civil rights were a part of the reason to move into Afghanistan. We should be upholding what we set in motion because the Afghan women depend upon it. 
When Osama Bin Laden was killed by DEVGRU operators, Taliban blew up a police barracks to show they were not weakened. Another act that shows our presence is needed more than ever. As a part the United Nations, it is our duty to protect less capable countries. We must continue pushing on Taliban so that they are put down completely and will never harm anyone ever again. Afghanistan is not ready to loose U.S. presence which has helped improve society.

When we wake up in the morning, we have the ability to live without fearing for our lives. Afghan people should have the same right. Our presence there has made it so the threat of being out on the streets was an easy thing to do and to not fear a simple task as walking to work. Protection is what we provided to them and it’s what Taliban and Al Qaeda strived to take away. US troops made it so the Taliban and Al Qaeda forces were pushed into the mountains. If we are to leave Afghanistan the streets will become a place of fear for civilians and there would have been no point to our being there.

 
Through the many struggles the U.S. has undergone being in Afghanistan it has brought some good from it all. Afghan children now have schools where they can learn and being intelligent enough to form their own decisions. Civilians have civil rights and freedom of expression. Most important of all they had a sense of protection. No longer did they have to hide in fear. Our war there has brought Afghanistan to a state that it was never at before. That is why it is worth the sacrifice the US troops have gone through.

Source: Teen Ink

http://www.teenink.com/opinion/current_events_politics/article/442129/The-War-in-Afghanistan/

VOCABULARY

DEVGRU - DEVelopment GRoUp – Seal Team, Elite military group.

Bolster – a pillow.

Struggle -  Problems, violent efford, hard task

Undergo – to endure, to resist

This text was a school essay one teenager your age presented at school.

Now answer, please:

1.Do you agreed with the writer’s point of view? Explain your reasons.

2. Based on what you read on papers, do you think the population and the government of the United States are “on the same key”? Explain your reasons.

3. By your experience living in Brazil, and reading about the refugees that came to Brazil recently, do you think the Brazilian people would like to get involved to a war like that to “defend freedom” of another country?