...Summary of “I Was a Teenage Hijabi Hockey Player” In Shema Khan’s essay “I Was a Teenage Hijabi Hockey Player” she humorously defends some of the stereotypes associated with her religion. As she begins a casual conversation about hockey over lunch, Khan notices her colleagues’ disbelief. Female Muslims aren’t expected to follow or be interested in hockey, or any sport for that matter. In response, Khan goes on to display her knowledge and passion of the Montreal Canadiens. She lists players, stats, and facts just like any true hockey fan would. Furthermore, Khan recounts playing street hockey as a child; choosing a player she idolized to play as. Lastly, Khan further shows her passion for the sport as she describes her efforts to start a women’s intramural league at Harvard. Khan concludes her essay in the present; playing street hockey with her kids as she did in her childhood. Thus, further proving her passion for hockey, and shattering a stereotype. Summary of “What We Are Fighting For” In his essay “What We Are Fighting For”, Rex Murphy clarifies the reasons for Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan. To begin, Murphy states Canada’s aid in eradicating the Taliban Government was because of our country’s alliance with the USA, as well as in retaliation of the Candians killed on 9/11. He continues on to say that in order to protect against future attacks, the afghani citizens would need assistance in building a new type of government. In addition, Murphy explains that Canadian...
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...If you ask anyone in America what do you think of Pakistanis? Without any hesitation they would say "Pakistanis are terrorists". This is the stereotype which has developed over the recent years and it would be wrong to say that such a stereotype is wrongly associated with the country. The biggest problem facing Pakistan is terrorism which has spoiled the country's reputation in the entire world and it would require excessive amounts of effort on behalf of the country to improve its image in the global arena. Terrorism in Pakistan is majorly associated with religious extremism and its incidence has increased since the events of 9/11. Taliban was behind the attacks of 9/11 and its roots extended to Pakistan. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is another terrorist group which has been associated with terrorist attacks in the country and is directly linked to Osama bin Laden's Terrorist organization. Taliban's fight was not initially against Pakistan but after 9/11 when former President Pervez Musharraf agreed to form an ally with the U.S against "War on Terror" there was great rage in the Taliban outfit who decided then to launch terrorist attacks in the country in retaliation. Although Pakistan is part of the US alliance they are often accused by US for being a terrorist country which has challenged Pakistan's sovereignty. This has also resulted in internal conflicts in the country with many people raising their voices against the government and demanding Pakistan to leave the US alliance...
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...Afghanistan Women The women who live in Afghanistan have suffered massive and horrific violations of their human rights because of the Taliban. The Taliban have issued many laws to control every part of these women's lives, and every aspect of their behavior in both public and private atmospheres. They enforce their unjust laws through arbitrary punishment by the Religious Police. Daily, the Taliban are violating international human rights laws. Though the women are stripped of more freedoms, the men have also been stripped of theirs under the taliban's rule. These edicts the taliban are enforcing have stripped these afghanistan's of their culture and their traditions. They take away from any possible happiness that could have been found. Afghanistan's are not allowed to engage in any kind of cultural celebration or the fact that anyone who converts from Islam to any other religion will be executed. They are stripped of all freedoms but the worst of it is the laws for women. These laws imposed on women give these men who are already upset at these freedoms being taken from them someone to take it out on. It gives the male the right to dictate any woman and because of the burqa...
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...Ben Schenk Mrs. Trista Pyeatt English 015 5 October 2015 Don’t Blame Bush Following the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks, Tom Harkin, former United Sates senator from Iowa stated, “The planes were hijacked, the buildings fell, and thousands of lives were lost nearly a thousand miles from here. But the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were an attack on the heart of America.” The immediate effects from 9/11 like death and destruction are very disturbing, and that leaves Americans wondering why someone would kill thousands of innocent civilians. The causes of 9/11 have been a topic of debate for many years, and many of the effects are quite evident in our society. The September 11th attacks performed by the Al-Qaeda were caused by certain motives that root from conflicts with the United States and the effects run deeper death and destruction and are displayed through changes in American law and culture. First, a leading cause towards the 9/11 attacks is the United States’ foreign policy which favors Israel over Palestine in the Israel-Palestine Conflict. Israel and Palestine have been been conflicting since the mid 20th century due to issues that involve the control of the Gaza Strip and Jerusalem. Primarily, the issue involves the Israeli Jews and the Palestinian Muslims Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the Al Qaeda was anti-Semitic (a hatred of Jews), took favor of the Palestinians. United States military supporting Israel, which led to deaths...
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...changes that included the newly developed Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS was charged with protecting the country and territories from another terrorist attacks, but also responding to an attack, man-made accident, and natural disasters. If the U.S. had given homeland security as much attention prior to September 11th as it does today, the WTC’s may still be standing. The events on September 11th, 2001 should have never happened to a country with as much resources and technology as the U.S. My review focuses on John Mueller’s article “How Dangerous are the Taliban?” The Taliban was founded in 1994, which is fairly young for organization that is notoriously known for violence. The Taliban began as a small group of students that studied Islam from Afghan refugee camps. The Taliban members were poor and started off originally with good intentions. The most important of these services was safety. The Taliban organized to prevent school children from being abducted and raped on their way to school in the impoverished villages around Kandahar in southern Afghanistan and provide spiritual services to those residents as well. Radical Islamist hate our culture. They...
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...Because of the removal of key Al Qaeda leadership from the battlefield in Afghansitand, Pakistan and elsewhere, the group has become more decentralized. (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2009/10/16/the-taliban-al-qaeda-connection.html) Some have claimed that this has made Al Qaeda more dangerous and more difficult to track. This may be true, but at the same time they are also less capable of planning and executing as complex of operations as 9/11 since they are now more scattered and a significant amount of their key leaders have been killed or captured. They have however become more difficult to track as they move into new territories such as Yemen where there is less intelligence on their activities. In the future it is possible and even likely that the US could conduct peace talks or reach a compromise with the Taliban granted they made an agreement to not to indirectly sponsor terrorist attacks by hosting groups such as Al Qaeda within their borders. Similar peace talks would be nearly impossible with Al Qaeda because of their stated goal of a global Islamic state. Conclusion Will the recent killing of bin Laden change the future relationship between al Qaeda and the Taliban? It is likely that it will change, although not diminish. The al Qaeda and Taliban relationship was largely based off of the personal relationships of Haquani and bin Laden. So into the future they will likely continue to work with each other due to their long common history and some shared...
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...Islamic Terrorist Groups: A Comparative Study of Terror Jason Schrand HSM 305: Survey of Homeland Security & Emergency Mgmt Instructor: Blake Cheary October 6, 2013 The phrase "Islamic Terrorist" conjures many images for different people. Many will recollect the acts of September 11, 2001 - the act of terror that led the United States first into an invasion of the Taliban-controlled nation of Afghanistan and then into the "Second Gulf War" with Iraq. While both wars made great progress toward the initial goals, namely the overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the Hussein dictatorship in Iraq, as the years went by and the war dragged on, seemingly endlessly, the Islamic groups faced by the United States and her Allies seemed to be wearing down the civilian desire to continue to wage war. What American civilians do not seem to understand is that not only does the multitude of groups have very nearly the same goals, but they are also willing to die for their cause and will be almost impossible to defeat unless they are hunted and destroyed. A study of the Islamic terror groups must include historic examples; Islamic extremism is not a recent development, nor has the ideology of the extremist believers changed much since the Islamic Conquests began in the 7th Century. In F.M. Mickolus' work International Terrorism in the 1980's, Mickolus wrote that since 1968 alone two-thirds of the known incidents of terrorism in the world had occurred in...
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...“Helicopters descended out of darkness on the most important counterterrorism mission in U.S. history. It was an operation so secret, only a select few U.S. officials knew what was about to happen. The location was a fortified compound in an affluent Pakistani town two hours outside Islamabad. The target was Osama bin Laden. Normally, the U.S. shares its counterterrorism intelligence widely with trusted allies in Britain, Canada, Australia and elsewhere. And the U.S. normally does not carry out ground operations inside Pakistan without collaboration with Pakistani intelligence. But this mission was too important and too secretive.” (Huffington Post, 2011) Pakistan and the United States have been allies throughout the war on terror. Pakistan has provided troops along with convoy routes for quick resupply to coalition forces in Afghanistan. Many say that the United States has bought these routes through their yearly multi-billion dollar aid to Pakistan. Others say that the United States will use force and step on or over anyone that gets in its way. More and more of the general US public believe and voice that Pakistanis are simply pulling the wool over the United States’ eyes by providing training grounds to terrorist cells. Pakistan is as much a problem as is al-Qaeda. But are Pakistani-US relations strained? Many will lead you to believe that it is or that there is simply no relationship, only a puppet and its master. Throughout this paper and by using the one example...
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...Who is the reluctant fundamentalist? “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” is a tale of where two different cultures clash. The novel is told through the point of view of a Pakistani by the name of “Changez”, who has a cross-culture love who speaks with a complete stranger (American). But ultimately the question that arises when one reads this book is who the reluctant fundamentalist is? The most obvious answer is “Changez” is he really the only one? To determine whether or not Changez is a fundamentalist, one must decipher his past and consider his changes since. But strangely enough for a book with the title, “reluctant fundamentalist” Changez mainly refers to the fundamentals of finance, his time in America, his elite training at Princeton and employment at the company Underwood Samson. At Princeton, Changez was an overseas student who worked harder than the majority of others due to his “hunger” for greatness. After Princeton he joins Underwood Samson in the hope to become an acceptable, high-class American. Underwood Samson is based on meritocracy that doesn’t changes its ways. The culture of Underwood Samson forces the people to work to the best of their abilities and ignore anything else- merit is all that matters, forcing one to become an economic fundamentalist- whether you like it or not, live with it or quit. The corporate world that Changez once desired required him to wear a suit and shave to fit in. In Erica’s sphere, he must prove his worth by mentioning both Princeton...
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...Search: Heroes of Higher Education Grade-school teachers come to mind first on National Teachers Day. But let's not forget the college professors, fictional & real, who've made their mark. Bing: Celebrities who used to be teachers Bing: Top high school movies .10 Self-Examinations to Do Before Breakfast These 10 DIY checks are a simple & easy way to keep tabs on your health. Here are areas you can take a look at every morning, from your head to your fingernails. Is mouthwash even worth the time & money? Sunscreen: How much to use & how long it lasts . Ralph Macchio Makes a 'Dancing' Comeback Video: After a few rough weeks, the actor & his partner scored their first perfect 10 of the 'Dancing' season. Plus, other primetime highlights in 'Last Night on TV.' Chelsea Kane lights a competitive fire for 'Dancing''Bethenny Ever After': A bumpy truck ride. Previous.Pause.Next.3 of 5...EDITORS' PICKS.Naysayers on bin Laden death Obama to visit ground zero Navy SEAL's silent weapons Fla. grower recalls tomatoesFerrell shaves Conan's beard Tony nominations & snubsRat causes fatal car crashIs Seacrest leaving 'Idol'?Royals blamed in Di's death..MUST-SEE.NEWS NEWS.MONEY & QUOTES.LIFE/STYLE..MUST-SEE. NEWS. Pakistan accused of bin Laden 'double game' 'It's hard to imagine that the military or police did not have any ideas what was going on' at compound, senator says. Video: Suspicious? Who's most wanted after bin Laden’s death Practice makes perfect mission, former SEALs...
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...Pat Tillman killed by Friendly Fire in Combat On April 4, 2004, Army Ranger Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire in Afghastan. Pat Tillman left behind a NFL career to join the Army Rangers in a act of Patriosm after the 9/11 attacks on the United States. He was deployed to Iraq after his Army training. His unit was patrolling a dangerous part of Kabul. Tillman was assigned to the Army’s Second Batalian 75th Ranger Regiment, This battalion was to clear Khost, Kabul of Al Qaeda and Taliban forces. One of the Armies humvees broke down, causing Tillman to make the decession, as per his commanding officer, to split the unit in two and tow the broken humvee to the base set up in Pakistan. The terrain was mountainous, this area of Kahul, on the Pakistani border was dangerous. This part of Kabul was known by the Iraqis when they ambushed the Russians back in 1988. Tillman heard the second Humvee in distress, Tillman and another soldier climbe the steep terrain and saw gun fire. It was than that he tried to wave down the Americans who were shooting to show them that he was not the enemy. It was than that he was shot down and killed by enemy fire. The United States Government kept the death of Pat Tillman from his family for a few weeks after. Kevin Tillman was there when his brother was shot down. Pat Tillman’s family, still to this day, are investigating the U.S. Government for the loss of their son. OBITUARY Pat Tillman, November 6, 1977 to April 4, 2004 Born in...
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...The Reagan Doctrine: Assisting the Overthrow of Pro-Soviet Regimes. Jonathan Burton November 2nd 2011 Strayer University POL300 Professor Popova-Nowak In April of 1978 the pro-Soviet People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) overthrew a corrupted Afghan Republic and would begin a domino effect that would culminate on September 11th 2001 in the New York skyline. Jimmy Carter had put into effect a doctrine of stating out loud that the Persian Gulf was vital to United States foreign political interest but showed no open displays of force. Behind the scenes the CIA had be involved with the movement to oust the PDPA. This forced the Russian government to send in 5,000 troops. Their aim was to place a Soviet chosen leader into power and after twelve hours of intense fighting, Barbrak Karmal was put in a plane and flown back to Moscow. This would begin a decade long occupation by the Russians and the United States got what it wanted; A Soviet Vietnam. The United States went to great lengths to supply this war against Communism and the hatred of the Soviets. China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and others poured in money, weapons, and military advisors to aid the Mujahideen, the new name of the resistance fighters the CIA was backing. This covert operation was run out of the CIA until March of 1985. February 6th of 1985, President Ronald Reagan laid out his doctrine in the State of the Union Address. “WE must not break faith with those who are risking their lives on every continent...
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...POSITION PAPER ON AIR WARFARE 1. The technological evolution of air warfare made known a new way for major military operations. Operation Enduring Freedom quickly showed successes with the help of air power. Within weeks, the Taliban had been defeated. The capability was so effective because UAVs could remain on station for a long time, making able instantaneous attack by finding a target, matching it with a weapon, releasing the weapon, and observing the resultant effects. UAVs were a major part for success. In addition, a new concept of offensive air employment against enemy ground forces was successfully tested. This was something fundamentally new by way of air power application that caused direct air attacks against fielded enemy forces that were not in direct contact with friendly troops. The stupendous use of doctrine conquered the command of the air. 2. Air power means successful war-fighting and air power is not only America’s most flexible military capability, it is also the best strategy to apply our strengths against adversary vulnerabilities. Also, air power enables the U.S to directly attack the enemy’s centers of gravity without placing Americans or allies at risk unnecessarily. The centers of gravity were the Taliban themselves. The dominance of consolidated information over platforms and munitions was the principal enabler of the campaign’s success. This new dynamic made all other major aspects of the war possible, including the integration of special operation...
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...Terrorism of 21st Century Sabeena Singh DeVry University April 20, 2014 "Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, and -- huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong." George W. Bush Addressing the Nation on September 11, 2001. (Intellectual Takeout , 2014) During the 1990s, the end of the cold war led to an entirely new global security environment, marked by a focus on internal rather than inter-state wars. In the early 21st century, new global threats emerged. The attacks of 11 September 2001 on the United States clearly demonstrated the challenge of international terrorism, while subsequent events heightened concern about the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the dangers from other non-conventional weapons. The organizations of the UN system mobilized immediately in their respective spheres to step up action...
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...Contemplating Realities and Paradoxes in the Global War on Terror John B. Alexander, Ph.D. Introduction The approach of this monograph is to examine paradoxes encountered in the Global War on Terror (GWOT). The intent is to spark debate on disputatious issues. Clearly, many of the existing situations appear intractable given the emotional investment that has been made by the public, and exacerbated by political manipulation of elected officials. Also unavoidable are the fiscal constraints that are becoming increasingly binding. Examined in Section One are problematic premises related to the four fundamental approaches to countering terrorism; increased security, eliminating the terrorists, attacking the support infrastructure, and altering conditions that breed discontent. Despite trite, albeit politically popular, commentary proposing those methods, execution of those concepts is extremely difficult, often controversial, and sometimes counterproductive. Section Two of this monograph addresses several other policy decisions that generate problems that are difficult to resolve, but directly impact the forces involved. Among those topics are; roles of contractors, individual loyalties versus national interests, alliances of convenience, foreign response to our policy on preemption of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), the consequences of our stated objective of spreading democracy, the impact of U.S. presence in the Gulf region, and quandary associated with defining...
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