Afghanistan

Afghanistan: A Land Torn Apart by War

Afghanistan has been ravaged by continuous war for decades. See a History of intervention.
 
The US has been at war in Afghanistan for 10  years.  Find out more more about the current war:
  • Rethink Afghanistan: A riveting documentary about the truth of the war in Afghanistan. You can watch the entire documentary or short clips on a number of topics including security, situation of women, cost of war, civilian casualties, and more. 
  • Explore Wiki Leaks at the Guardian  - How has the war been conducted?

 

Critical Indicators about the War in Afghanistan

  • NATO is failing to win hearts and minds. According to a poll released July 16th by the International Council on Security and Development (ICOS) think tank most people in Taliban heartlands view foreign troops negatively and believe the Taliban should join the government. The poll of Afghans in the two areas found:-- 75 percent believe foreigners disrespect their religion and traditions, 74 percent believe working with foreign forces is wrong, 68 percent believe NATO forces do not protect them, 65 percent believe the Taliban and its leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, should join the Afghan government. Seventy percent said recent military actions in their area were bad for the Afghan people and 59 percent opposed a new military offensive being built up by NATO forces in Kandahar. (Reuters, July 17, 2010 “NATO is failing to win hearts and minds”)
  • Civilian deaths have increased since the US troop surge. “In terms of insecurity, 2010 has been the worst year since the demise of the Taliban regime in late 2001," said the Afghanistan Rights Monitor (ARM) in it’s mid year report “Civilians Casualties of Conflict.”  The report says the policy of intensifying operations against the Taliban has not disrupted or defeated the insurgents. Instead, "the insurgency has become more resilient, multi-structured and deadly". About 1,074 civilians were killed and more than 1,500 injured in war-related incidents in the first six months of 2010, compared with 1,059 killed in the same period last year.

By the Numbers: The human and economic coast of a decade of war 

  • 4,483 – Number of U.S. troops have died in Iraq since 2001 (icasualties.org/Iraq/index.aspx, 2010)
  • 1672 -- Number of US Soldiers who have died in Afghanistan since 2001 (icasualties.org, 2010)
  • Over 30,000-- Afghan civillians have been killed in the war since 2001 (fcnl.org/issues/afghanistan)
  • 2010 was deadliest year of war in Afghanistan, with 499 U.S. service members killed. 
  • 63% - Number of Americans who say that Afghanistan war is a lost cause (CNN/ORC Poll. Oct. 14-16, 2011.) 
  • 68%- Number of American's oppose of the of the war in Iraq (CNN/Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 21-23, 2011)
  • Over $1 trillion has been spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001 (fcnl.org/issues/afghanistan)
  • $1 million –The amount the U.S. spends per troop per year on the ground in Afghanistan  (Department of Defense)
  • About 100,000 U.S troops in Afghanistan since 2001(http://content.usatoday.com/2011)
  • $3.7 trillion-  The amont spent on the  Afghanistan and Iraq  wars Since 2001,  An av­er­age of $9.7 bil­lion a month(nationofchange.org/true-cost-afghan-iraq-wars)
  • $1,199,431,146- amount Cincinnati taxpayers have paid on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001(http://costofwar.com/en/state/OH/city/cincinnati/: 10:53 Nov 8, 2011)
  • $50.4 million—Amount of projected budget deficit for the City of Cincinnati (WLWT August 8, 2010)
  • 450 -People in Cincinnati Public Schools may be laid off because of a growing budget deficit. (Local 12 July 7,2010)

 

 

Take Action!

Sign the Petition to End the War in Afghanistan and Fund Jobs at Home!
 
For the past several months, IJPC has been visiting Rep. Steve Driehaus' Cincinnati office to let him know the need to end the war in Afghanistan and support the creation of local jobs. Every third Wednesday at lunch we visit to present Driehaus' aids with new information about the destruction of lives and resources in Afghanistan, and the rising unemployment nationally and locally.
 
On IJPC's visits, Rep. Driehaus’s aides often ask us why they aren’t hearing much about the war from their constituents. We want to show Rep. Driehaus that US citizens, particularly Cincinnatians, want us out of Afghanistan and to begin focusing on building local jobs. Can you join us for these lunch time visits every third Wednesday? For more information on these visits call Kristen at 513.579.8547. If not, there are lots of other ways you can get involved. Next month, and for months to come, we will present Rep. Driehaus' office with petitions in support  to END THE WARS AND FUND JOBS AT HOME.  Please download it from our website www.ijpc-cincinnati.org, print it off, gather signatures, and send it back to IJPC.  We must show our Representatives that we do care about this war and want it to end!
 
Text of Petition: “After 9 years of U.S. war in Afghanistan, violence and instability still prevail. It’s not working. As. General Barry McCaffrey says, “We can’t shoot our way out of Afghanistan.” Congress should insist on a new U.S. policy. The problems facing Afghan society are economic, social, and political in nature and require economic, social, and political solutions. Meanwhile, with the newest war spending bill, taxpayers in Cincinnati have paid $1 billion dollars since 2001 on these wars. Cincinnatians are struggling as unemployment and underemployment are at an all-time high and the city budget is experiencing serious cut-backs. How many jobs could be created by redirecting this taxpayer money back home? We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge CONGRESS to act now to END THE WARS & FUND JOBS AT HOME.”
 

Other Actions you can take

  • Join the Iraq and Afghanistan Moratorium Peace Vigils the Third Friday of the month from 4:30-5:30pm in Mt. Healthy and in Newport.
  • Add your energy to the Peace Committee which meets the Third Wednesday of the month at 7pm at Peaslee