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Qualifying Round Essay

Wood River High School
1250 Fox Acres Road
Hailey, Idaho 83333
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For the International Public Policy Forum

On the topic:

Resolved: NATO military operations in Afghanistan are not justified.


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Negative Case
Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil. Our great hope
lies in developing what is good. Calvin Coolidge
Afghanistan has been riddled with conflict, destruction and terror almost incessantly. From
the reign of Alexander the Great to the fiasco of British Imperialism to the tyranny of the
Taliban, this nation has seen nothing save violence and poverty. Though rehabilitation of this
country will certainly not be easy, it is necessary from both a moral and a logical standpoint. It is
imperative that Afghanistan be rehabilitated; and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) is the only organization capable of such an undertaking.
It is with the following three contentions that the negative argues against the resolution: 1)
NATO is uniquely qualified, both in organization and in means, to be in Afghanistan; 2)Unlike
with previous occupations, NATO aims to make Afghanistan self-sufficient and stable
militarily, socially, economically, and politically; and 3) NATO's operations in Afghanistan are
critical in the global fight against terrorism, namely by eliminating a major breeding ground for
terrorist operations and setting an example to the world on how terrorism will be dealt with in the
future.

NATO's Unique Qualifications
Organization:
Founded in 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also known as the North
Atlantic Alliance, is currently comprised of 28 member countries, who uphold the principle that
"an attack against one or several members is considered an attack against all." (NATO). This was
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first invoked following the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
NATOs response to the attacks culminated in their takeover of the International Security
Assistance Force, or ISAF. The ISAF works with the Government of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan to make the country a safe and sustainable place, specifically by reducing the
capability and will of the insurgency, support[ting] the growth in capacity and capability of the
Afghan National Security forces (ANSF), and facilitate[ing] improvements in governance and
socio-economic development. (NATO).
NATO not only works with the twenty-eight member countries but also with other
nations, so ISAF forces currently hail from the militaries of 47 different countries(NATO). the
multinational nature of NATO/ISAF is the most important quality it possesses. It demonstrates
that the operations in Afghanistan are of importance to the global community. Success or failure
there will alter the future of the world. The global interest of Afghanistan proves the necessity of
military operations there. Because operations are endorsed by forty seven nations, it shows that
success in Afghanistan is not only in the best interest of one country, but in the best interests of
the world.

Resources:
In conjunction with the unparalleled global perspective and insight of NATO, they also lay
claim to the majority of the worlds military defenses. NATO includes in its membership the top
defense spenders in the world: the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy.
They alone account for fifty-eight percent of global defense spending. The combined defense
spending of all of NATOs members, however, account for a staggering seventy percent of
worldwide defense spending. These figures show that NATO is unmatched in resources, and
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therefore is, by a landslide, the best equipped organization for military operations in
Afghanistan.
In addition to the massive amounts of capital available to NATO, it also has the best
possible leadership. ISAF is headed by the United States own General David Petraeus, former
commander general of the multinational force in Iraq, and most recently, former head of Central
Command, which manages all US military operations in the Middle East (BBC). General
Petraeus also quite literally wrote the book on counterinsurgency techniques for the US military.
According to BBC news, General Petraeus is a masterful political general. He is highly
articulate and adept at judging and communicating with an international audience. General
Petraeus mirrors perfectly the high levels of global insight of NATO, while carrying with him the
experience he gained by leading operations in Iraq and throughout the Middle East in his
previous positions.
No other group in the world has the infrastructure, resources, or ability to accomplish what
NATO can. NATO, and subsequently ISAF are the only organizations qualified to be stationed
in Afghanistan, and are singularly equipped for success in fighting terrorism. It is by this, and
nothing else, that terrorism in the Middle East can be confronted on a military, social, economic
and political level.

Unlike with previous invasions, NATO aims to make Afghanistan self sufficient.
Afghanistan has been invaded scores of times. From Alexander the Great to the Soviets,
nations have tried and failed in Afghanistan, giving it the nickname The Graveyard of Empires.
However, we can be certain that NATO will not fall trap to this for two main reasons:
NATO is not an empire.
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As the negative asserted before, NATO is a collaboration of more than 28 countries,

whose goal is to uphold democratic values and rid the world of terrorism. NATO is not looking
for personal gain in Afghanistan; they are looking to establish domestic and global security and
stability. Because NATO is by definition NOT an individual empire looking to invade and
exploit Afghanistan, it is unfair to compare them to the scores of failed invasions before them.
Their inherent differences from the previous invasions can be seen as a mark for the justification
of their operations in Afghanistan. NATO is acting out of concern for global security and
altruism in regards to rehabilitating Afghanistan.

NATO will make Afghanistan safe, stable, and ultimately self-sufficient:
Militarily:
One of NATOs main goals is ensuring the stability of Afghanistan both in the present
and the future. They will accomplish this in the following ways. First, they are eliminating the
currently insurgent Taliban as a threat. ISAF is accomplishing this by working with the Afghan
National Security forces in conducting security and stability operations, disarming illegally
armed groups, facilitating ammunitions depots managements, and providing post-operation
assistance (NATO). By the aforementioned, the ISAF is systematically eliminating the threat of
the Taliban. General Petraeus said Forces [are] working to take away the sanctuaries and safe
havens that the Taliban [has] established over the years. (Radio Liberty). Through eliminating
the safe locales, disarming the insurgency, safely and securely managing legal firearms, and
providing assistance after completion of operations, NATO will hack the Talibans roots in
Afghanistan into oblivion.
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Additionally, the ISAF is working to ensure the future stability and self-sufficiency of
Afghanistan, specifically by assisting in the development of Afghanistans own security forces,
the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police. Known as the NATO Training
Mission Afghanistan, or NTM-A, the objective is to train the forces until they can function on
their own, and to increase the capacity of Afghan security forces.(NATO). When
Afghanistans own forces prove capable of protecting the country alone, they will be handed the
reins. This is what separates NATOs operations from previous occupations--their presence is
inherently impermanent.

Socially:
The reign of the Taliban saw some of the worlds most egregious human rights
infractions in history. The Taliban believed in the strict enforcement of Sharia Lawthat is, they
strove to recreate exactly the time when the Prophet Muhammad walked the earthin social
life, politics, and of course religious practices. Sharia law, however, was incredibly oppressive
and inhumane, especially in regards to women. Under Taliban rule, women were not allowed to
work outside the home, or even leave the house without a mahram (close male relative) and a
Burqa. In a nutshell, women were banned from doing anything outside the home while not in the
presence of a mahram. Violation of the law brought incredibly cruel punishments, including the
hacking off of limbs, or in many cases execution. Nor did men escape restrictions to personal
freedoms; for example, males were required to wear beards, and short hair covered by a turban.
Most forms of music, art and recreation were banned, and all non-Muslim minorities were forced
to wear badges identifying themselves as such. These are only a smattering of the unjust
restrictions imposed by the Talibanthe list goes on and on.
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As a direct result of removing the Taliban as a ruling power and instating the Karzai
Administration, the quality of life for the Afghan citizens has increased dramatically. Since the
overthrow of the Taliban regime, Afghanistan has seen democratic elections, millions of girls
have enrolled in school, literacy rates have climbed dramatically, women have been allowed to
participate equally in societythey even have been elected to represent their fellow citizens in
Parliament (Una Vera). These are real time advantages of NATOs presence in Afghanistan, and
they will be exponentially advantageous throughout Afghanistans future.

Economically:
What made Afghanistan so susceptible to the harboring of terrorist activity was the
general abject poverty of its citizens, due to the lack of economic infrastructure. Powerless were
the people to object to the tyranny of the Taliban and therefore, the terrorist activity of Al
Qaida, because the two shared common beliefs and goals. Furthermore, a large amount of
economic activity was the cultivation, production and sales of illicit drugs, namely opium. At
one point, Opiate production in Afghanistan accounted for a staggering 93% of the worlds
supply (UN). However, as a result of the counter-narcotics operations of NATO, opium
production is down 22%from peak, with 20 of the 34 provinces cultivation free (UN).
In addition to removing opium cultivation and production as a significant portion of the
Afghan economy, NATO is working to build a free market economic structure in Afghanistan.
NATOs Provincial Reconstruction Teams, or PRTs, are designed to extend the authority of the
central government into the countryside, provide security, and undertake projects (such as
infrastructure development and the delivery of basic services) to boost the Afghan economy,
according to the Congressional Research Service. A result of one of these projects was the
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discovery that Afghanistan has massive deposits of lucrative materials such as gold and lithium
with an estimated total value of more than one trillion dollars (NY Times). With the
implementation of economic infrastructure, Afghanistan has seen consistent and major positive
growth in GDP. Afghanistan currently has the fastest growing GDP at 22.5% (CIA World
Factbook).

Politically:
Afghanistan currently enjoys a stable government supportive of democratic values under
the Karzai Administration. However, strides are still being made to ensure long term success.
In order to prevent the reintroduction of the Taliban as the ruling body, Afghanistan must
have a strong government that is not susceptible to a coup. This will be achieved through the
Provincial Reconstruction Teams, who will strengthen the institutions required to fully establish
good governance and rule of law and to promote human rights. (NATO). Furthermore, these
teams are supported by the NATO Senior Civilian Representative, who promotes unity between
the provincial and national governments of Afghanistan. Once again, unlike previous
occupations of Afghanistan, NATOs goal is to enable Afghanistan to be self sufficient. Once the
government of Afghanistan is stable and strong enough to operate on its own, it will be operating
on its own.

NATO's operations in Afghanistan are critical in the global fight against terrorism
Success in Afghanistan eliminates a major breeding ground for terrorism:
Prior to NATOs presence, Afghanistans government, economy and social policy were
incredibly tolerant of the Islamic Extremist group Al Qaida. Because the Taliban and Al Qaida
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share the same fundamentalist religious ideology, Al Qaida was allowed to flourish within
Afghanistans borders during the Taliban regime, which led to them gaining power and
subsequently led to terrorist attacks such as those committed on September 11, 2001 in the
United States. Even if the citizens were privately against the governments policies, they had no
power against them. The social policy of the Taliban prevented education of and extension of
human rights to the general civilians, and therefore left them woefully unequipped to change the
status quo.
However, because of NATOs actions to build the government and economy, and to
establish democratic values that would protect human rights, Afghanistan will no longer be a
viable staging ground for terrorist activity. No longer will the climate of Afghanistan be even
remotely tolerant of either the Taliban or Al Qaida. To reiterate, democratic elections have
already taken place, millions of girls are enrolled in school, Afghan women are participating in
the society and government in Afghanistan, and the economy is becoming less and less
dependent on opium. NATO has created irreversible damage to the Taliban and Al Qaida
footholds in Afghanistan, and because they are creating stability and self-sufficiency in
Afghanistan, these footholds will never be re-established.

NATOS actions set a precedent:
It is necessary to remember that the war on terror is not one defined by national borders,
or religion, or even ideology. Terrorism is, by definition, the use of violence and intimidation in
the pursuit of political aims. (Oxford). Terrorism is a tactic, and can be implemented by any
group. Currently, we are fighting against Islamic extremism. At some point in the future, we will
be threatened by terrorism again, by another faction of extremists. This, specifically, is why there
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is a moral imperative to strike down terrorism in the Middle East. It is integral to show potential
terrorists that their opposition cannot be simply bled dry. It is vital to show them that their
opposition can and will defeat them. As George W. Bush said in 2005, We do not create
terrorism by fighting the terrorists. We invite terrorism by ignoring them. If NATOs military
operations in Afghanistan are withdrawn, it will set an example of failure and weakness. It will
show the entire world, including potential terrorists, that no force on earth can overthrow
irrational violence and fear mongering.
This must not happen. If NATO forfeits its many gains in Afghanistan, it will completely
invalidate the entire organization, as well as its member countries. No longer will their
impressive defense spending symbolize authority and capability, it will merely represent a
foolish waste of money and show that victory cannot merely be bought. Remember: a win in
Afghanistan transcends the quantitative aspects of the victory. Yes, a win means safety and
stability in the world, and also a better situation for the Afghans, but it also means much more
than that. It sets a paradigm for the future. No longer will it be thought that wrong can triumph
over right merely due to unconscionable and erratic violence, but that international cooperation,
democratic values and tenacity will succeed in the end.

Conclusion:
NATOs military presence in Afghanistan is justified for both quantitative and qualitative
reasons. It is the only organization with the means, organization, and international perspective
necessary to successfully rehabilitate Afghanistan. Their main goal is not to permanently invade
and exploit Afghanistan, so they do not fall prey to the Graveyard of Empires pattern. Their goal
is to provide safety, stability, and self-sufficiency, so their presence improves the short term
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safety, and provides long term stability and self-sufficiency in Afghanistans military, social,
economic and political arenas. Unlike previous invaders, NATOs goal is not ownership-they
merely want to help Afghanistan move into an era of independence and democratic values; and
ensure the safety of the world. Lastly, NATOs military presence in Afghanistan is singularly
and irreplaceably important in the war on terror; it eliminates Afghanistan as a viable location for
terrorist activity and sets a paradigm for future fights against terrorism.
Martin Luther King, J r. said, We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the
vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.
His words continue to find validity today. NATO is justified, most importantly, because the
organization is not remaining silent in the face of wrongdoing. They are acting in the here and
now to ensure the welfare and security of both Afghanistan and the entire planet. Though they
are also justified in the tangible extrapolation of the situation, they are most justified in the fact
that they are upholding democratic values and human rights, for the bettering of the world and all
its inhabitants.

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Works Cited
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Security Assistance Force." ISAF - International Security Assistance Force. N.p., 3 Oct.
2010. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/afghan-
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"Calvin Coolidge Quotes." Famous Quotes and Quotations at BrainyQuote. N.p., n.d. Web. 27
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<www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-24.pdf>.
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welcome/site.html>.
"Nato Presence in Afghanistan is Improving The Lives of Its Citizens | Newsflavor." Newsflavor.
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Walsh, Declan. " UN horrified by surge in opium trade in Helmand | World news | The Guardian
." Latest news, comment and reviews from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk . N.p., 28
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