Table of Contents
Foreword 5
Introduction 7
Chapter 1 What Is the Status of the War in Afghanistan?
1 Afghanistan Is a Just War Barack Obama 12
2 Afghanistan Is Not a Just War Ted Rall 18
3 Important Progress Has Been Made in Afghanistan Douglas Alexander 24
4 The War in Afghanistan Is a Complete Disaster Sandy Shanks 30
Chapter 2 What Challenges Does Afghanistan Face?
1 The Taliban Threaten Afghanistan and the Rest of the World John Hutton 38
2 The Taliban Do Not Gravely Threaten Afghanistan or the Rest of the World John Mueller 45
3 Afghanistan is Not Likely to Become a Democracy Patrick Basham 53
4 Afghanistan Can Become a Democracy Russell J. Dalton 59
5 Women Must Be Respected If Democracy Is to Succeed in Afghanistan Yifat Susskind 67
6 Afghanistan Suffers from Corrupt Elections Malalai Joya 72
7 Afghanistan's Elections Are a Sign of Progress Gary Hart 77
Chapter 3 How Should the United States Proceed in Afghanistan?
1 The United States Should Leave Afghanistan Ralph Peters 83
2 The United States Should Not Leave Afghanistan Marie Cocco 89
3 The United States Should Send More Troops to Afghanistan John Nagl 95
4 The United States Should Not Send More Troops to Afghanistan Eric T. Olson 100
5 Forces Should Focus on Helping Afghan Women Bronwen Maddox 107
6 The Mission in Afghanistan Must Remain Military Michael Scheuer 113
Glossary 120
Timeline of the War in Afghanistan 122
Organizations to Contact 127
For Further Reading 132
Index 137
Picture Credits 142