Afghanistan is a country that is mysterious to many outsiders. From the harsh landscape to the traditional social norms shared by its people, Afghanistan continues to mystify the world. The country’s unique location has influenced its history and people, and that of the nations and armies that have tried to conquer it. Like all nations, Afghanistan’s geography, infrastructure, history and people contribute to the overall culture of the country.
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is located in southern Asia. It is a landlocked country. The nations that boarder Afghanistan are Pakistan to the East and South, Iran to the West, and Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the North. The country also shares a minor board with China, which measures only 76 kilometers long. It is the 41st largest country in the world, covering approximately 652,000 square kilometers. The geography varies widely within its borders. The lowest elevation is 258 meters above sea level while its tallest peak reaches 7,485 meters. The majority of the terrain is rugged mountains with a semi-arid to arid climate, with pockets of arable lowlands that comprise approximately twelve percent of the country’s landmass (cia.gov). The most significant mountain range is the Hindu Kush in the north east of the country. Temperatures vary widely between seasons and altitudes. In the Capital city of Kabul temperatures can fall well below zero Fahrenheit in the winter and average 90o F in the hottest months. Areas at lower elevations maintain an average over 100o F in the summer (“Afghanistan Profile” 6). Historically, the harsh winters and summers dictate the peak fighting seasons of spring and fall.
Agriculture is an important aspect in the lives of Afghan ci...
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Canada is a great country with great opportunities to succeed with not many complaints that affect our whole life but have you ever wondered what it is like to live in a place where the odds of you living are 30 years younger? or make 97 percent less money or how about you are 5 times more likely to get murdered? This is how an everyday life looks in developing countries and specifically, Afghanistan. It is interesting to see one country struggling so much where the other is not necessarily struggling at all. What is also interesting is the similarities we do have although lifestyle may totally be different. With Afghanistan’s population of 34.66 million, it makes it the 40th largest country in the world and with Its area of 652, 230 square kilometres it makes it
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The Taliban, a forceful political association against women’s rights, ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 (Hayes, Brunner, and Rowen). Predominantly, they believe in the religion of Islam, as do most Afghans, and that males are the dominant gender (Hayes, Brunner, and Rowen). They controlled Afghanistan under their “version” of the Islamic laws which many others did not agree with (Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls). The Taliban is composed of Afghan men of various ages who did not grow up in Afghanistan, therefore know little about their country’s culture (Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls). The leader of the Taliban from 1994 to 2001 was Mohammed Omar, a religious leader that, over time, gained more and more followers (Bellamy). Eventually he ousted the Afghanistan government and gained control of the country (Bellamy). The Taliban only ruled for five years, but what they did has left a scarring mark on the country of Afghanistan.
1. Immediately following the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, American military power sought out and aggressively attacked Al Qaeda and Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan. Within weeks, the United States removed the Taliban from governing Afghanistan and worked with the international community to establish a new democratic government led by Afghan native Hamid Karzai, who would soon be elected president. However, by 2006, the Taliban significantly increased attacks on pro-Afghan government officials, Afghan security forces, and coalition military members. The United States and partner North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members responded with a surge of military might in 2010 to make one final push to drive the Taliban out. With major ground now gained for the Afghan government in 2014, Afghanistan faces a critical crossroads in its nation’s history. After recovering areas once held by the Taliban, Afghanistan must become self-sufficient in sustaining its first democratic government. With Company Grade Officers (CGOs) in the American military key to reaching strategic objectives, a secure and democratic Afghanistan is in the national interest of the United States in order to prevent a safe-haven for international terrorist activity.
Afghanistan since its beginning has been a place of conflict, despair, and at times lost hope. It has been taken advantage of and lost its sense of identity, which has had a direct effect on its people, and there own sense of what justice truly is.
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Since the year 2001, Afghanistan’s history with the United States has been very rough and destructive due to the Afghanistan War. Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, then-President George W. Bush signed a joint law resolution authorizing the use of force against those responsible for the 9/11 attack (“U.S. War in Afghanistan”). On October 7th, 2001, the US launched missile strikes against Taliban military starting the official “War of Afghanistan” (Afghanistan Profile - Timeline). Twelve days after the airstrikes, the first wave of conventional ground forces arrive in Afghanistan (“U.S. War in Afghanistan”). In August 2003, two years after the start of the war, there are now over 10,000 American soldiers fighting in Afghanistan (“U.S. War in Afghanistan”). A few years passed by without any major events during the war, until September of 2008 when President Bush sent an extra 4,500 troops to Afghanistan (Afghanistan Profile-
Religion in Afghanistan has an immense amount of history behind it and some of that history had just recently occurred. Islam is the number one religion in Afghanistan; in fact, 99% of people in the Afghanistan region are religious and not just any religion Islamic religion, and the other 1% are less practiced religions. Islam has two main types of sub-divisions, the Sunni Muslims and the Shia Muslims. Both practice Islam, but have totally different opinions on how to worship the Islamic god. Opinions so different that one of the sub-division religions are considered a radical practice. Afghanistan is a true religion because the people either follow the rules through and through, or they do not follow at all. Religion in Afghanistan is not only a choice, but it is a lifestyle. For a while in Afghan history, it became a mandatory lifestyle.
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“He pointed to an old man dressed in ragged clothes trudging down a dirt path, a large burlap sack filled with scrub grass tied to his back. “That’s the real Afghanistan, Agha sahib. That’s the Afghanistan I know. You? You’ve always been a tourist here, you just didn’t know it.” —Amir, Farid (Chapter
Recently Afghanistan has grown significantly in terms of its ability to care for itself. A national army and a developing police force are becomi...