War fuels heated debate
Danny Butler
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News
The political science department presented a debate and general discussion on the United States renewed involvements militarily in Afghanistan on Oct. 22.
Dr. Fouad Moughrabi, department chair of political science and advisor to the Political Science Club, and Dr. Robert Swansbrough, a political science professor, presented arguments from both sides of the issue.
Swansbrough's argument supported the idea of another surge of troops in Afghanistan, the political and social ramifications of an early withdrawal and the importance of seeing the Afghanistan conflict and the eradication of Al-Qaeda influence in Afghanistan.
Swansbrough said his key point in his argument was that Al-Qaeda attacked the United States from camps based in Afghanistan.
"The key point we cannot ignore . . . is the fact that Al-Qaeda attacked the United States from training bases and [the] planning and execution [came] from Afghanistan," he said.
Swansbrough also noted that the United States has global and NATO support for invading Afghanistan after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Swansbrough said he agreed with statements President Barack Obama made during his campaign and as Commander-in-Chief, stating the war in Afghanistan was a war of necessity, as opposed to a war of choice, like the Iraq War.
Moughrabi, in contrast, argued the opposite, stating the idea of a "good war" is flawed.
"For me, there's no such thing as a 'good war,'" he said. "I am
the product of two wars.
Moughrabi was an Israeli refugee at age six, and he experienced the U.S. involvement in the West Bank region of Israel from 1990 to 2003.
His arguments focused on what he called the "militarization of United States foreign policy," a trend or pattern of behavior expressed by the government that seems to default to military action to settle disputes instead of relying on diplomacy.
"I think President Obama is in a real bind," Moughrabi said, referring to the situation in Afghanistan, comparing this situation the "Bay of Pigs" invasion of Cuba under President Kennedy and Truman's presidency.
The counter insurgency doctrine, or COIN, as several military and government officials have shortened it to, is, in his opinion, counter productive as a military tactic, and it has a "cult following."
"COIN needs a very heavy U.S. commitment to war in both blood and treasure," Moughrabi said.
Moughrabi also criticized military generals of "nation-building," a governmental policy closely akin to imperialization.
The event ended in questions from the audience, some of which where passionate responses to the presented arguments.
Stacy Richardson, a senior from Harrison, Tenn., and president of the political science club, said in an e-mail, "I tend to agree more with the thoughts of Dr. Moughrabi, but I think that Dr. Swansbrough offered a real world analysis of what will probably happen as time unfolds. What needs to happen immediately though is there should be more Afghan representation in the choices that we are making."
Dr. Fouad Moughrabi, department chair of political science and advisor to the Political Science Club, and Dr. Robert Swansbrough, a political science professor, presented arguments from both sides of the issue.
Swansbrough's argument supported the idea of another surge of troops in Afghanistan, the political and social ramifications of an early withdrawal and the importance of seeing the Afghanistan conflict and the eradication of Al-Qaeda influence in Afghanistan.
Swansbrough said his key point in his argument was that Al-Qaeda attacked the United States from camps based in Afghanistan.
"The key point we cannot ignore . . . is the fact that Al-Qaeda attacked the United States from training bases and [the] planning and execution [came] from Afghanistan," he said.
Swansbrough also noted that the United States has global and NATO support for invading Afghanistan after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Swansbrough said he agreed with statements President Barack Obama made during his campaign and as Commander-in-Chief, stating the war in Afghanistan was a war of necessity, as opposed to a war of choice, like the Iraq War.
Moughrabi, in contrast, argued the opposite, stating the idea of a "good war" is flawed.
"For me, there's no such thing as a 'good war,'" he said. "I am
the product of two wars.
Moughrabi was an Israeli refugee at age six, and he experienced the U.S. involvement in the West Bank region of Israel from 1990 to 2003.
His arguments focused on what he called the "militarization of United States foreign policy," a trend or pattern of behavior expressed by the government that seems to default to military action to settle disputes instead of relying on diplomacy.
"I think President Obama is in a real bind," Moughrabi said, referring to the situation in Afghanistan, comparing this situation the "Bay of Pigs" invasion of Cuba under President Kennedy and Truman's presidency.
The counter insurgency doctrine, or COIN, as several military and government officials have shortened it to, is, in his opinion, counter productive as a military tactic, and it has a "cult following."
"COIN needs a very heavy U.S. commitment to war in both blood and treasure," Moughrabi said.
Moughrabi also criticized military generals of "nation-building," a governmental policy closely akin to imperialization.
The event ended in questions from the audience, some of which where passionate responses to the presented arguments.
Stacy Richardson, a senior from Harrison, Tenn., and president of the political science club, said in an e-mail, "I tend to agree more with the thoughts of Dr. Moughrabi, but I think that Dr. Swansbrough offered a real world analysis of what will probably happen as time unfolds. What needs to happen immediately though is there should be more Afghan representation in the choices that we are making."
