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1 - Objectives

- show state of war in afghanistan (in 2002)


The article
- show the state of mind of the Afghan (especially Taliban & Northern Alliance)
- afraid of American culture
2 - Target audience
- The general public of U.S.
3 - Hope of writer by writing article
- Hope to enlightened the reader (especially the American) about the current issues
within Afghanistan, and not to impose oversimplified explanation & stereotypes to the
Afghanistan
4 - Issues found in article
Difference of mindset between Afghan & American (Afghan hates & afraid the
cultural value brought by American) - Rekesh
After effect of Afghanistan war - Aaron
Stereotype of the Afghanistan war by American (because of the sentiment due to
9/11) - Ali
5 - How issues tackled, give support
6 - do you agree, why
7 - what's you take on issue

Intro:
The article that we read are Long Road Home: A Story of War & Revelation in
Afghanistan. It is about a journalist interviewing the Afghan people including the
Taliban prisoners, Northern Alliance commander and troops, the civilians and even her
own interpreter. Along the way, she began to understand their thoughts about the war in
Afghanistan and realize that the war in Afghanistan are more complex than it seems.
Background:
This article was written on 2002, right after the 9/11. After 9/11 President Bush was faced
with calls for a "strong response" to it.
The author wants to clear the confusion during that time.
To understand what is happening in Afghanistan, we need to take a step back and look at
the history of war in Afghanistan way before the American-led invasion.
Way before the American-led invasion, Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union
which was supported by that time the Afghan forces, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
(before they unite into Northern Alliance). So, the American aided the insurgent group or
the Mujahideen (before they were called the Taliban).
The Soviet Union lose and back out from Afghanistan. Then, the Taliban become the
most powerful group within Afghanistan.
After 9/11, all the people involved in the suicide attacks were dead. The US really
needed an enemy to fight. They have a massive and expensive military.
President Bush knew that paranoia and a war footing would make people support the
government. So, he passed the patriot act on of the biggest attacks on US rights in the
confusion.
The U.S. claimed that Osama Bin Laden is hiding in Afghanistan. But the Afghanistan
government told he is not in the government. This lead to the American-led invasion with
the help of the Northern Alliance (whom they were against). Besides that, instead of
calling the Taliban an insurgent group, the U.S. began to label them as terrorist group.
This cause further confusion because the War in Afghanistan are not inherently a
religious war. Instead, its a civil war between tribes.
Target audience:
- 2002
- Americans, because they American have a misconception about war in Afghanistan.
- Arrogant:

They tell that they are fighting for world peace but actually provoking the Talibans to
fight back which cause more bloodshed.
So the Americans thought the Taliban as a terrorist group instead as an insurgent
group who fight for their survival.
The Americans will think that the Taliban are nefarious.
- For public awareness:
Most of the public think that Taliban are nefarious.
But they are fighting for their country/tribe and survival.
They also fight to preserve ther culture & religion.
Hope of writer:
Issues:
Rekesh:
Different mindset between Afghanistan and the American people (about Afghan mindset)
The Afghans have different cultural belief & value than the Americans.
Afghanistan people are afraid that aid from foreign powers will degrade their culture
with American values (e.g.: materialism)
The Americans misunderstood and oversimplify the concepth of Jihad (they always
picture it as a holy war even though it has much broader meanings)
- The fight between Taliban & Northern Alliance is not a religious war in the name of
God. Instead, it is more about power.
Taliban is using violence for a wrong cause.
Aaron:
After-effect
Citizens of Afghanistan suffering due to war
Innocent life are lost even when cities are liberated.
Children lost their education centers because school is used as defence.
Hospitals do not have enough medical equipment or medicine because the medical
supply are taken by Taliban.
Brave soldiers in Northern Alliance, American and Taliban lost their life for the
wrong cause
Taliban become more nefarious.
Ali:
The Oversimplified & Stereotypical view of the War in Afghanistan by the American
public
The confusion of the war in Afghanistan by the general public in Afghanistan could be
contributed by few things.

First is the 9/11, the Afghans were an easy target to be blamed on because war is already
happening in their on country and the society have a conservative religious view.
Second, the stereotype of the Afghans caused by the mass media. Mass media like CNN,
BBC and Al-Jazeera tend to depict the Taliban as a fundamentalist terrorist group like AlQaeda (which they are not) and the Northern Alliance as the hero fighting for democracy.
Even though, after reading through the article, you will realize they are fighting for
something more pragmatic than their ideals.
Even within this article, the writer tend to write the Northern Alliance as a group with
conservative religious view trying to consolidate the Afghanistan values and the
American values.

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