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The unprovoked attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, which occurred on September 11th 2001, inspired deep emotions of hate, revenge, fear, as well as unity for millions of people around the world. Fear and revenge are the two key emotions that we need to consider, since fear draws the question of whether we are secure, and revenge obscures our judgment for long-term solutions to security and trades the possibility of peace for short-term gratification. While engaging in a discussion on the possibilities of a peaceful resolution to the current war in Afghanistan, we need to take incremental steps to develop a viable approach to peace and security in the long run. From Raymond and Kegley’s publication Waging Peace: Choices and Consequences, we are given twelve prescriptions for peace. For the purpose of this analysis on Afghanistan and terrorism, we shall take into account the prescriptions applicable.
At present, the situation in Afghanistan and the war on terrorism is in a state of limbo between war and peace. With the military war against the Taliban regime of Afghanistan coming to a close, we now have to deal with social, cultural, and economic conflict and reparations. From Waging Peace: “Decisive military outcomes and imposed political settlements may temporarily reduce the prospects that the defeated will retaliate, but people harboring an acute sense of injustice do not easily forget suffering at the hands of others”(p.245). That is why cultural, social, and economic reparations are important in the Afghanistan relief effort, as well as insuring long term security. The re-education of the Arab-trained Afghan deobandi youth is also worth considering, because in their eyes the west is waging a war on Islam and Muslims. Through angled misinterpretations of the Koran they have been exposed to a warped Islam bent on their own version of Jihad, ignoring the actual Islamic teachings of peace and submission. It is time to plan for the post-war era, as prescribed by Kegley and Raymond. It would not be safe to leave loose ends in Afghanistan, because “whatever is not exacted from the adversary during the shock of defeat becomes far more difficult to attain later” (p.251).
In establishing prudent measures of insuring our long-term security from terrorism we must “carefully define our interests and priorities” for the post-war era. It is not practical to institute a terrorist (or radical, fundamentalist, etc…) free international community, but it is not out of our grasp to obtain a manageable equilibrium to keep terrorist organizations in check without subjecting ourselves to a substantial infringement on our freedoms. This can be accomplished with the help of international cooperation. To gain international cooperation, the United States and the UN need to show sincerity that the war is on terrorism alone, with the purpose of security, and is in fact a war of peace with Afghanistan as the stepping stone.
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Phillip A. Dawid
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Reply to- afghanistan. maryann warbrick | Aug 14th, 2003
It is quite clear that fear has influence all walks of life like terrorism. The most absurd thing about "fear" is that even the most innocent are manipulated to it. It is everywhere in shops, homes even advertisments....for example if you don't get your child the latest toys from a Mc Donald's happy meal( made from child labours from china) then your child will hate you for the rest of your life!
your article is fantastic,it actually helped me to understand the ordeal between the muslims and islam
thanks.
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