...Assignment 1 - The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy SHAMIKA WARD EMMANUEL OBUAH POL 300: Contemp Intl Problems May 31, 2013 The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy The Reagan Doctrine was the foreign policy in the United States, enacted by President Ronald Reagan. The doctrine was design to eradicate the communist governments in Africa, Asia, and Latin America that were authorized and corroborated by the Soviet Union. This assignment will review by what method the United States delivered open and private backing to guerrilla and resistance movements during the Regan years. Additionally, explain the political doctrine detailed events that occurred in Afghanistan when the Soviet Union invaded. As a final point, this assignment will define the benefits and drawbacks established on the Regan Doctrine. Summarize the Situation of U.S. Diplomatic of the Regan Doctrine During the course of the initial years of the Cold War, Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter all endorsed dogmas against communism in order to enclose it. Ronald Regan prohibited their détente policy in 1979, when the Soviet Union attacked Afghanistan. This alone demonstrated that policies that only contain communism were unproductive. Regan criticized in the compromise policy when it emanated to any communist government. As an alternative, Reagan proposed the Rollback policy. The creation of the Reagan Doctrine moved from containment and dispersal to eradicating all current communist governments. Likewise...
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...Introduction: Afghanistan has a history of a high degree of decentralization, and resistance to foreign invasion and occupation. Some have termed it the “graveyard of empires.” Afghanistan is a landlocked country that is located approximately in the center of Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east. Since the late 1970s Afghanistan has suffered brutal civil war in addition to foreign interventions in the form of the 1979 Soviet invasion and the 2001 U.S. invasion. The strategic interests of the great powers of the day in Afghanistan pitched against the potential threat of terrorism, religious extremism, smuggling and drug trafficking substantiates the assertion that Afghan security situation has the potential to generate effects far beyond its borders. Afghanistan had experienced several coups since 1973, when the Afghan monarchy was overthrown by Daud Khan, who was sympathetic to Soviet overtures. Subsequent coups reflected struggles within Afghanistan among factions with different ideas about how Afghanistan should be governed and whether it should be communist, and with degrees warmth toward the Soviet Union. The Soviets intervened following the overthrow of a pro-communist leader. In late December 1979, after several months of evident military preparation, they invaded Afganistan. At that time, the Soviet Union and the United States were engaged in the Cold War, a global competition for the fealty of other nations. The United States was, thus, deeply interested...
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...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 from Afghanistan to Nicaragua to defy Soviet-supported aggression and secure rights which have been ours since birth...
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...The Carter Doctrine and the Effects in Afghanistan POL 300 July 28, 2013 Professor Koltochnik Adreion Rice Assignment 2 As recorded, The Carter Doctrine was a policy proclaimed by the president of the United States Jimmy Carter in his State of the Union address on January 23, 1980, which stated that United States would use military force if necessary to defend its national interest in the Persian Gulf region. The doctrine was a response to the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet Union, and was intended to deter the Soviet Union-the Cold war adversary of the United States-from seeking hegemony in the Gulf. After stating that Soviet troops in Afghanistan posed “a grave threat to the free movement of middle east oil,” Carter proclaimed: The region which is now threatened by Soviet troops in Afghanistan is of great strategic importance: It contains more than two-thirds of the world's exportable oil. The Soviet effort to dominate Afghanistan has brought Soviet military forces to within 300 miles of the Indian Ocean and close to the Straits of Hormuz, a waterway through which most of the world's oil must flow. The Soviet Union is now attempting to consolidate a strategic position, therefore, that poses a grave threat to the free movement of Middle East oil. When Carter assumed office in 1977, he was a tabula rasa, the perfect American innocent in a world set in its ways. Predictions of how he would behave were few, and those that were attempted were based on Carter’s...
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...Afghanistan: Does the United States Belong Eleven Years Later? October 20, 2012 Introduction On September 11, 2001 one of the most outrageous suicide attacks took place on the United States soil. These suicide attacks killed almost three thousand people and changed the security of the United States forever. They also started the insurgence and war against the extremist soldiers called Al Queda who ruled out of Afghanistan. This has led to the continued eleven year war in Afghanistan which is drawing more and more nationwide anti-war criticism. This criticism is being experienced across the world as well as by those serving in the military as soldiers, leaders, and representatives. The Resignation In 2009 a resignation letter written by Matthew Hoh to Ambassador Nancy J. Powell, spread like wild fire across the American political offices from Afghanistan to Washing D.C. Mr. Hoh, elegantly and with purpose explained his reasons for his resignation from his appointed position as a Political Officer in the Foreign Service and his post as the Senior Civilian Representative for the U.S. Government in Zabul Province. Mr. Hoh’s prior service to the United States as a Marine Officer and Department of Defense civilian in Iraq from 2004 – 2007, made his reason for resignation as well as his stance on the war in Afghanistan very alarming. His past experience not only made him uncomfortably close with the ideology of what it means to be a U.S. service man...
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...Years of violent conflicts, those between warring Afghan factions, the superpowers of Cold War Russia and now the United States and its allies, have left the rebuilding of Afghanistan in political and economic limbo. Many of the physical and social infrastructures are debilitated, the economy barely functions, the population's health and nutritional status is among the lowest anywhere, and internal security is lacking. Also, Afghanistan poses a potential threat to richer countries as an exporter of drugs and terrorism. This combination of factors makes the engagement in Afghanistan a particularly fragile one. In this paper, the following points will be expounded upon: theoretical approach, in regards to international relations; an assessment of the security situation in Afghanistan and an effective approach to combat the threats; how a struggling economy can be helped that is plagued with corruption; key components of identity for this nation, ethnicity, religion and women; and finally, some recommendations on how to get this nation back on track. There must be an investment in Afghan-led development and peacebuilding. Billions of dollars are poured into reconstruction and development in Afghanistan but have shown few results and often contributed to corruption and conflict. I remember procuring aircrafts and setting up missions to pickup pallets full of medical supplies, but days later, I tried to coordinate with my Afghani counterparts to see how their inventories of...
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...for defeating the insurgents in Afghanistan? The insurgents in Afghanistan cannot be defeated. “After eight years of fighting, two things seem clear: First, the insurgency does not have the capability to defeat U.S. forces or depose Afghanistan’s central government; and, second, U.S. forces do not have the ability to completely eliminate the insurgency.” Thus, the question is no longer how to militarily defeat those we find repellant, but rather how to politically engage nationalist insurgents in a way that ultimately prevents the propagation of future international terrorists. This policy paper addresses the virtual stalemate between insurgents and counterinsurgents and prescribes political compromise as an alternative to the failed counterinsurgent strategies in Afghanistan. The inability of ‘Deterrence strategy’ or ‘Hearts and Minds strategy’ to produce results underscores the impotence of COIN. I argue against the question: the insurgents cannot be defeated; to achieve our stated objective, we must bring the insurgents to the political bargaining table and jointly combat the terrorists that hinder the legitimacy of their national cause. This paper seeks to advance this policy as the most resourceful and self-sufficient solution to producing stability in Afghanistan. Total victory for either side is impossible: the insurgency does not have the capability to defeat U.S. forces or depose Afghanistan’s central government; and furthermore, U.S. forces have failed to eradicate...
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...18 April 2012 Afghanistan Afghanistan is a country full of issues and problems with tough fixes. Right now Afghanistan is at war with the United States because of the attacks on September 11. 2001. The United States is fighting the war to stop the terrorist group al-Qaeda. They are fighting in Afghanistan but al-Qaeda is not in the country of Afghanistan but in Pakistan. The stakeholders in this issue are the United States, the Afghan civilians, the Afghan army, and the terrorist group al-Qaeda. There are three main problems going on in this war, the United States is fighting in the wrong country, we are fighting the wrong group of people, and the U.S. has people fighting in the war who should not be fighting. If the U.S. wants to win the war and stop terrorism they should not be fighting where they are fighting. In the article “Afghanistan: a tough nut to crack; Obama is misguided in thinking the U.S. is fighting al-Qaeda in Afghanistan” it clearly states that the U.S. should not be fighting in Afghanistan but in Pakistan. The first reason they should not be fighting in Afghanistan is because the terrorist group al-Qaeda isn’t even from there they are from the countries surrounding Afghanistan. President Obama sent the troops to Afghanistan to destroy the terrorist group: “Releasing the white house’s annual strategic review to the public on December 16, he declared that U.S. policy in Afghanistan was ‘on track’ to defeat al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.” The only problem president...
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...INTRODUCTION. The September 11 terrorist attacks on the world trade had far reaching effects on American foreign policy. Several changes occurred and a new general priority was created in national security. The entire American populace awoke to the fear of an amorphous enemy Al Qaeda, a terrorist group led by Osama Bin Laden which had declared war on the US by taking the battle to the very shores of America. Over 3000 people were killed when on the 11th of September 2001 two hijacked planes were flown into the he World Trade Centre destroying the twin towers, a third struck the pentagon building while the fourth heading for the White House was brought Down by its hostage passengers who courageously laid down their lives for the nation. The attacks were unprecedented considering the fact that The United States had been attacked before by terrorist. In 1993 the World Trade Centre was bombed, in 1988 US embassy bombing took place in Kenya and Tanzania and in and October 2000 the USS Cole Bombing took place in Yemen 1 just to mention a few. The attacks were considered an act of war and as such required decisive action which was clearly spelt out by President George W. Bush in his September 20th joint address to congress that same year. "Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated…And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven...
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...Robert Montgomery ENGL 1120 Amelia Lewis 4/25/13 The United States and the Middle East For the past few decades, United States foreign policy has revolved around the situation in the Middle East. This is due mostly to the fact that tensions between the United States and the Islamic countries of the Middle East are always high. Also with the United States’ most valuable resource, oil, found in highest supply in the Middle East, America has a vested economic interest into the political stability of the region. However, after a costly war in Iraq that tarnished our image not only in the Middle East but around the world and a situation in Israel that hasn’t shown any lasting progress for decades, it’s time for the United States to take another look at its political strategy for achieving lasting peace in the region. With the events of early 2011 in the Middle East, otherwise known as Arab Spring, the region has become highly unstable and vulnerable to the influences of terrorism. This is a critical time for the United States to reestablish healthy diplomatic relations in the region in order to decrease the spread terrorism and harsh anti-American sentiment as well as bring about a lasting peace. In order for America to improve its foreign affairs in the Middle East it needs to finish strong in Iraq and Afghanistan, reach a peace agreement in Israel, push for more diplomacy with Iran, and support the rebels in Syria fighting injustice. By involving the rest of the world...
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...introduced in the C200 lessons and using them to analyze strategic policy and plans. The exam is due at the end of C200. General Instructions * This examination is worth 35% of your C200 Theme grade. * You may use the C200 online lessons, readings, and references to complete the exam. * The DDE Support Team can only answer administrative questions. * All work must be your own. You are not to discuss this examination or your answers, in either draft or final form, with anyone else. * Answers must be typed, double-spaced, and no more than 2 pages in length per question. * Use Times New Roman size 12 pitch font. One inch margins. * Clearly identify the question you are answering. * Any quotations from the assigned student readings are to be parenthetical (Huntington, pg. 8). Quotations from sources outside assigned student readings are to have complete citation. * You are not authorized to copy, reproduce or share this examination. Answer These Questions 1. Based upon the attached Remarks by the President in Address to the Nation on the Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan, what vital national interest does the President see at stake in Afghanistan and how does our involvement support that interest? Explain and support your point of view using specific examples from official U.S. documents (NSS, NDS, QDR, etc.). 2. Why and how does the 2008...
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...terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, U.S. foreign and defense policy undertook a major shift under the administration of President Bush. The Bush administration created and executed a policy of preemptive military action against any threat deemed imminent to the security of the U.S. (Commonly referred to as the "Bush Doctrine") This policy was used as justification for invading Iraq in 2003, which was believed to possess Weapons of Mass Destruction and accused of harboring international terrorists. Discuss whether you believe the U.S. should follow such a foreign policy. What are the costs of preemptive military action? What are the costs associated with not preempting threats to U.S. national security? Do you believe such a policy makes the U.S. and its citizens more or less secure?” There is arguably two ways one could approach this discussion. One way being from a political realist/power-politics perspective, and the other from a moralist idealist perspective; and while both can start in the same place; they end up in some very different conclusions. So for all intents and purposes I’m going to stay within a political realist perspective on this issue. Since the Second World War, the U.S. has increasingly achieved a sort of empire and has in fact become the new Rome, as Chalmers Johnson would put it. Much like its predecessors in order to maintain the empire it needs to enact the security of its interests in it. In the U.S.’s case, instead of traditional colonies,...
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...plausible denial if they were ever suspected. Covert action is a third option when “soft” exercises of national power such as diplomacy, economic sanctions, or informational power are ineffective in influencing conditions abroad on one hand, while the use of overt military force is undesirable or not feasible on the other.1 Covert action is traditionally divided into three categories: propaganda, paramilitary operations, and political action. Propaganda involves disseminating specific message or viewpoints to a target audience. As an example, in the late 1940’s, the U.S. covertly used propaganda to assist anti-communist political parties in Italy and France during close elections. Paramilitary operations involve training, equipping, and supporting paramilitary groups in target countries. A successful example was when the U.S. supported the Afghan guerrilla fighters during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1970s into the 1980s. An example of an unsuccessful paramilitary operation is the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in the 1960s. Finally, political action involves influencing the political situation in a particular country, whether by influencing current government officials, election results, economic situations, or civic groups. Political...
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...Containing Communism Through CIA Covert Operations Kurt Trendle PS335-01 American Foreign Policy Dr. Holzhauer 11/25/12 Kurt Trendle PS335-01 Major Film Analysis In my film analysis I chose three films that deal with previous U.S. administrations and more specifically the CIA's covert operations in supporting and aiding groups in other countries that ultimately opposed communism. The support of these groups was a way to perpetuate the containment policy. Chile: The Other 9/11 (2003), color, 60 minutes. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).:d Nicholas White; p Nicholas White; c Chris Openshaw Chile: The Other 9/11 is a documentary by the BBC which details the hour-by hour events of the military coup that led General Augusto Pinochet to power during the Cold War. On September 11th, 1973 President Salvador Allende was warned of a possible rebellion but continued on to the Presidential Palace of La Moneda in Santiago, Chile. That day President Allende sent out a broadcast that he will not step down. Allende was the first Marxist to be democratically elected. He put into place reforms that raised wages, lowered prices, and advocated for free education and healthcare. He nationalized banks and industries such as American-owned copper mines which really infuriated President Nixon (White 2003). On September 11th, the military, led by the Commander of the Army General Augusto Pinochet, surrounded the palace demanding that President Allende transfer...
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...Introduction The United States first began the invasion of Afghanistan in October of 2001. Since then, the ensuing war has taken many turns, the most significant of which came when Al Qaeda's figurehead and 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden was captured from Afghanistan. The two statements that just followed provide a significant number of anomalies to foreign policy experts. Firstly, the country of Afghanistan never declared war on the United States or ever officially threatened its sovereignty. Secondly, the main aim for the U.S invasion of Afghanistan, at least in theory was to capture and kill Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, but has since not only shifted to become a war against the Taliban but also another exercise in nation building. Thirdly, though America (at least publicly) had been chasing Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan, he was ultimately captured from about an hour's drive from Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad. Fourthly, Osama Bin Laden's assassination came after a blatant violation of Pakistan's national sovereignty by American special forces and without the knowledge of its infamously strong military. Fifthly, Osama Bin Laden's body was disposed in secrecy, and though the opportunity was there to bring the most wanted man in the world to trial, it was deemed unsuitable for the American cause to do so. However, all these concerns though important, are dwarfed when compared to the American policy of conducting drone attacks within Pakistani borders. Interestingly...
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