Is the war in Afghanistan necessary?
The Research Essay requires you to write a modified argumentative research essay using a piece of literature as your starting point (options are posted below). The goal of this essay is to present both sides of an argument then assert a conclusion. Essay is to be written in formal, academic tone using third person. 1. Read through the selections provided on this page. 2. Choose a piece of literature you will work with. 3. Review the theme(s) presented in the writing. The theme you choose will be the basis for your topic choice. (A broad theme of the writing is listed next to each; you will need to narrow your topic based on this broad theme.) 4. After you have decided on a broad topic, you will need to narrow your focus and develop a thesis and supporting details. In other words, based on the theme, you will develop a research-based essay about your specific topic. In many ways, you will be writing a traditional research essay. One of the key differences is that you will use a piece of literature as your basis for the topic. You will use the piece as a source (cite the source in MLA format) and incorporate the discussion and analysis of the theme and piece of literature into your own paper. Another way to think of it is this: Develop a paper, and within the paper, also explain how that topic is portrayed in a piece of literature. You must choose an original, current, relevant topic. Historical and/or over-used topics are not permitted. Faith-based (religious) topics/arguments are also prohibited. **See other sections in this unit for more about topic selection.** Choose one of the following as the basis for you paper. There were two other options but I chose this one: \"Anthem for Doomed Youth\" by Wilfred Owen (Broad themes: War, Death, and Violence) Essay Format Your essay must use the following format and must use the following headings. (Remember to also include a descriptive title for your essay.) Introduction Background Arguments for [insert your topic and wording to create an effective heading] Arguments against [insert your topic and wording to create an effective heading] Conclusion Additional Essay Guidelines Essay must be written in MLA format and include both in-text citations and Works Cited. Works Cited does not count towards minimum page length/word count requirement. Essay must utilize and cite one of the pieces of literature as described above. Essay must cite 5-7 additional credible sources. Sources must be relatively current. No sources (besides the literature text) before 2005 are acceptable (unless used in historical context). *Note: Select topics may require much more current sources, such as political or scientific essays. Sources must be varied, that is using only books, only journals, or only databases, etc. is not acceptable. Acceptable sources are as follows: books, databases, scholarly journals, audio/video recordings, interviews, magazines. (Online or print versions of credible magazines are acceptable.) A maximum of one Internet source (professional website) may be used, provided the source is credible. (In this class, online SC4 databases ARE NOT considered Internet sources.) Encyclopedia articles (Wikipedia), abstracts, reviews, and dictionary definitions are not considered acceptable sources. Essays that do not cite AND utilize a piece of literature from the list above will receive no credit. Essays that do not fulfill the assignment by selecting and writing about an appropriate theme will receive no credit. (If your topic idea is approved by me through the topic proposal, this should not be a problem--unless, of course, you switch topics without approval.) o Name, class, date, etc. are formatted correctly at the top left of the first page. o Page numbers are formatted according to MLA guidelines. o Essay contains an original title. o Essay is between 2100-3000 words. (Works Cited does not count towards length requirement.) o Essay is written entirely in third person (he, she it, they) and avoids both first (I, we) and second (you, your) person. o A clear, arguable thesis statement appears within the first one or two paragraphs. (Readers should be able to identify the topic of the essay, its focus, and your stance by reading only the thesis.) o The essay is argumentative, rather than informative. (In other words, readers can agree or disagree with your thesis and main points.) o Arguments are clear and specific and provide ample support from outside resources. For example, if the essay states \"Law ‘X\' should be repealed\" the essay must provide sufficient evidence from outside sources to explain, argue, and provide reasons why Law X should be repealed. In some cases, two or three sources might be needed to support the argument. o Main ideas of the essay are developed in appropriate paragraphs and individual topics/ideas are developed in separate paragraphs. (Several paragraphs may be needed to fully address a main argument.) o The essay addresses both sides of the argument according to assignment guidelines. o The essay discusses and cites the chosen piece of literature (as described in assignment guidelines). o A maximum of one Internet source is used. o In addition to the chosen piece of literature, 5-7 additional credible and assignment- appropriate sources are cited. o The essay uses correct MLA in-text citations to cite all information that is summarized, paraphrased, or quoted. (See resources in the Research Module and MLA Information Module for assistance with MLA.) o All sources cited in-text appear in correct MLA format as entries on a Works Cited. (See resources in the Research Module and Course Basics for assistance with MLA.)
The Research Essay requires you to write a modified argumentative research essay using a piece of literature as your starting point (options are posted below).
The goal of this essay is to present both sides of an argument then assert a conclusion.
Essay is to be written in formal, academic tone using third person.
1. Read through the selections provided on this page.
2. Choose a piece of literature you will work with.
3. Review the theme(s) presented in the writing. The theme you choose will be the basis for your topic choice. (A broad theme of the writing is listed next to each; you will need to narrow your topic based on this broad theme.)
4. After you have decided on a broad topic, you will need to narrow your focus and develop a thesis and supporting details. In other words, based on the theme, you will develop a research-based essay about your specific topic.
In many ways, you will be writing a traditional research essay. One of the key differences is that you will use a piece of literature as your basis for the topic. You will use the piece as a source (cite the source in MLA format) and incorporate the discussion and analysis of the theme and piece of literature into your own paper.
Another way to think of it is this: Develop a paper, and within the paper, also explain how that topic is portrayed in a piece of literature.
You must choose an original, current, relevant topic. Historical and/or over-used topics are not permitted. Faith-based (religious) topics/arguments are also prohibited.
**See other sections in this unit for more about topic selection.**
Choose one of the following as the basis for you paper.
There were two other options but I chose this one:
\"Anthem for Doomed Youth\" by Wilfred Owen (Broad themes: War, Death, and Violence)
Essay Format
Your essay must use the following format and must use the following headings. (Remember to also include a descriptive title for your essay.)
Introduction
Background
Arguments for [insert your topic and wording to create an effective heading]
Arguments against [insert your topic and wording to create an effective heading]
Conclusion
Additional Essay Guidelines
Essay must be written in MLA format and include both in-text citations and Works Cited. Works Cited does not count towards minimum page length/word count requirement.
Essay must utilize and cite one of the pieces of literature as described above.
Essay must cite 5-7 additional credible sources.
Sources must be relatively current. No sources (besides the literature text) before 2005 are acceptable (unless used in historical context). *Note: Select topics may require much more current sources, such as political or scientific essays.
Sources must be varied, that is using only books, only journals, or only databases, etc. is not acceptable.
Acceptable sources are as follows: books, databases, scholarly journals, audio/video recordings, interviews, magazines. (Online or print versions of credible magazines are acceptable.)
A maximum of one Internet source (professional website) may be used, provided the source is credible. (In this class, online SC4 databases ARE NOT considered Internet sources.)
Encyclopedia articles (Wikipedia), abstracts, reviews, and dictionary definitions are not considered acceptable sources.
Essays that do not cite AND utilize a piece of literature from the list above will receive no credit.
Essays that do not fulfill the assignment by selecting and writing about an appropriate theme will receive no credit. (If your topic idea is approved by me through the topic proposal, this should not be a problem--unless, of course, you switch topics without approval.)
o Name, class, date, etc. are formatted correctly at the top left of the first page.
o Page numbers are formatted according to MLA guidelines.
o Essay contains an original title.
o Essay is between 2100-3000 words. (Works Cited does not count towards length requirement.)
o Essay is written entirely in third person (he, she it, they) and avoids both first (I, we) and second (you, your) person.
o A clear, arguable thesis statement appears within the first one or two paragraphs. (Readers should be able to identify the topic of the essay, its focus, and your stance by reading only the thesis.)
o The essay is argumentative, rather than informative. (In other words, readers can agree or disagree with your thesis and main points.)
o Arguments are clear and specific and provide ample support from outside resources. For example, if the essay states \"Law ‘X\' should be repealed\" the essay must provide sufficient evidence from outside sources to explain, argue, and provide reasons why Law X should be repealed. In some cases, two or three sources might be needed to support the argument.
o Main ideas of the essay are developed in appropriate paragraphs and individual topics/ideas are developed in separate paragraphs. (Several paragraphs may be needed to fully address a main argument.)
o The essay addresses both sides of the argument according to assignment guidelines.
o The essay discusses and cites the chosen piece of literature (as described in assignment guidelines).
o A maximum of one Internet source is used.
o In addition to the chosen piece of literature, 5-7 additional credible and assignment- appropriate sources are cited.
o The essay uses correct MLA in-text citations to cite all information that is summarized, paraphrased, or quoted. (See resources in the Research Module and MLA Information Module for assistance with MLA.)
o All sources cited in-text appear in correct MLA format as entries on a Works Cited. (See resources in the Research Module and Course Basics for assistance with MLA.)
Instructor
Subject
Date
The Afghanistan War: Is It Necessary?
The Afghanistan war is an ongoing U.S-led military intervention in Afghanistan that began on 7 October 2001, following the September 9 attacks. The major aim of the invasion was to capture the Al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden, who was widely believed to be the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Secondly, the invasion was intended to dismantle the Taliban leadership, which was harboring bin Laden was sympathetic to Al Qaeda. Prior to the invasion, then U.S. President George W. Bush had demanded that the Taliban government hand over bin Laden and expel Al Qaeda operatives from the country or face dire consequences. However, the Taliban regime was unmoved by these threats, and retaliated with a demand for the U.S to provide them with solid evidence linking Osama to the attacks before they can extradite him. In response to the Taliban demand for evidence as a condition for handing over Osama, the U.S. maintained that its demands were non-negotiable, and in alliance with the United Kingdom, proceeded to launch a military attack on 7 October 2001.
However, the Afghanistan War has in recent years attracted criticism for being overtaken by events and losing its relevance (Griffin 4). When the war began in 2001, it was widely considered justifiable under the circumstances of the 9/11 aftermath. The loss of many innocent lives and the fact that the terrorist act was carried out without provocation gave the U.S. government the moral justification to protect its citizens from acts of terror and other forms of external aggression Although the U.S. succeeded in overthrowing the Taliban from power and establish military bases around Afghanistan, it did not capture many of the Al Qaeda leaders. Most of them escaped into the remote mountainous regions while others crossed the border into neighboring Pakistan, from where they are believed to continue planning their terrorist acts. Consequently, critics of the war further argue that “The events of 9/11 have been used by the administration to justify every single of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East since September 11†(Griffin 64). Further, it is argued that even American citizens have been involved in terrorism, such as the 1995 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City (Kesselman, Krieger, and Joseph 5). Regardless, while these observations raise genuine political concerns, the need to root out terrorism completely and transform the Middle East from a haven for terrorist groups into a safe and politically stable environment make the Afghanistan war necessary. This essay discusses the justification for the continued U.S.-led action in Afghanistan. It argues that the fight against the remnants of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and the need to establish a stable political environment in the Middle East as a means of safeguarding international security against terror, make the war in Afghanistan both justifiable and necessary.
In the poem, “Anthem for Doomed Youth,†poet Wilfred Owen paints a gloomy picture of war, which persuades one that war is not a necessary or best option for solving humankind's problems. The author portrays a horrifying battlefield with rotting corpses that have not been given proper burials (Owen 71). The poem's doomed youth represent the soldiers who are sent to a war from which they are not guaranteed to return alive. The situation in Afghanistan is not different from the one that Owen portrays in his poem. Every year hundreds of soldiers return home in coffins. The continued killing of America's sons in a foreign land, fighting an endless war without clear objectives raises strong arguments in its opposition. In light of the poem, the only music that the soldiers at the battleground will ever hear is that of guns, the mad choir of detonating bombs and explosions. It is the same music that will escort them to their graves when they die.
The just war theory provides the basis for the Afghanistan war. The theory states that there are two conditions under which a war is justified; self-defense as a response to external aggression and humanitarian intervention (Calhou 420). The author also refers to the concepts of jus ad bellum and jus in bello to show that there are conditions/circumstances such as the threat of terrorism that makes war a just cause These views conflict with Owen's theme that war is destructive and uncalled for despite the reasons for going to war. However, it is reasonable to point out that the war is a necessary evil to combat evil. Owen portrays war and death as evils whose only result is destroying the dreams of the soldiers who are drafted to fight and bringing sorrow and mourning to their families. With regards to the Afghanistan war, “the doomed youth†are a necessary collateral damage in the war against terror. If left unchallenged, terrorism may cause more mourning and sorrows than those portrayed in the poem. In this regard, although this paper's focus is not to provide a moral justification for the war, a consideration of the conditions it identifies for a just war are also a basis for terming the Afghanistan war one of necessity in combating evil. The war was a necessary response to an act of terror committed against the American citizens. In his West Point Speech in 2009, President Obama justified the war he inherited from the Bush administration by making the following observations:
We did not ask for this fight. On September 11, 2001, nineteen men hijacked four airplanes and used them to murder nearly 3,000 people. They struck at our military and economic nerve centers. They took the lives of innocent men, women and children without regard to their faith or race or station. . . . As we know, these men belonged to al Qaeda – a group of extremists who have distorted and defiled Islam. . . . After the Taliban refused to turn over Osama bin Laden – we sent our troops into Afghanistan (qtd in Griffin 4).
Whereas the argument that the attack was not provoked by the U.S. provides a moral justification, the obligation of the U.S. government to do something about the attack presents the element of necessity. The families of the thousands of people who died in the World Trade Center suffered the same fate as the soldiers who die in the battle field, whereby death visits violently and in the most brutal manner that leaves families of the victims in pain. While it is difficult not to sympathize with the victims of war, understanding the causes of war allows one to accept circumstances under which war is necessary. In this case, a war that is waged in response to evil acts necessary to prevent similar future occurrences, such as the one involving the attack on the World Trade Center.
The argument from the humanitarian point of view rests on the United States' global position as a super power. In political discourses, it is argued that sovereign states with undisputed military superiority have the responsibility to make the world a safe and better place to live in. Even without war, the dreams of the people living in oppressive regimes are doomed. Owen portrays war as an event that dooms the future of the youths who are drafted to fight. However, war can also be a means of liberating people whose existence is dominated and controlled by an oppressive government. For instance, women were a doomed lot under the Taliban leadership. The world has a choice of fighting repressive governments to brighten the future of those under oppression, or to avoid war and condemn many people to a life of slavery. In situations like Afghanistan where the human rights of citizens are violated by their government, therefore, it is the responsibility of the international community to intervene and protect human life. Although the existing political and social conditions in Afghanistan did not present a real danger to human life, the suppression of political freedom and enforcement of harsh laws provide ground for military intervention.
Regardless, it is arguable that the humanitarian approach was a secondary excuse to win the support of the international community. This is because the U.S. was aware of the political and social conditions inside Afghanistan prior to the 9/11 attacks. If the humanitarian reasons were genuine, the U.S. did not have to wait for an act of terror to be committed on its soil to wake ...
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