Cameron Silverglate

October 2010 (NATO presence)

AFFIRMATIVE

My partner and I stand in firm affirmation of today’s resolution,

Resolved: NATO presence improves the lives of Afghan citizens.

For clarification of today’s resolution, my partner and I offer the following

observation and definition:
1. The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines the word improved as
making progress in what is desirable. Therefore the con side must show that
NATO presence has made no progress in improving the lives of afghan
citizens. While we, the pro, must show that some progress has been made,
no matter how small.
2. Our observation is that the topic should be looked at in terms of
Afghanistan without NATO vs. Afghanistan with NATO. With the
parameters of the debate set, lets go into:

Contention 1: Afghanistan Civilians without NATO.

Sub-Point A: Causalities

In September of 1996, the Taliban Captured Kabul, the capital of

Afghanistan. The Taliban was a major force in Afghanistan prior to its
victory in Kabul, but from that point forward, it was the dominant political
authority. According to the U.S Department of State, “In a 1997 massacre in
Mazar-i-Sharif, the Taliban killed 70 civilians. In November of the same
year, the Taliban imposed a blockade on the Hazarajet region, and pushed
the population of one million people to the brink of starvation. In December,
600 civilians were killed by Taliban forces in the Faryab province. In August
of 1998, the Taliban captured Mazar-i-Sharif and reportedly killed 5,000
people. In September of 1998, the Taliban captured the city of Bamiyan and
killed another 200 civilians. Taliban commanders murdered an additional
45 civilians in a village near Bamiyan in September, and later killed 300
civilians in the Zabol province in November. In May of 1999, the Taliban
recaptured Yakaolang in Bamiyan province. Hundreds of men were
reportedly killed by the Taliban directly, and another 500 men, women, and
children died of starvation after fleeing the city. In June of 1999, the Taliban
launched an offensive in the Shomali Plains, deliberately killing dozens
more civilians.” Once the Taliban took control of these provinces, they
implemented strict laws and punishments.

Sub-Point B: Laws

According to an Afghanistan Human Rights report filed by the U.S.

Department of State, “Murderers were subject to public executions,
sometimes by throat slitting… Thieves were subject to public amputations of
either one hand or one foot, or both… Adulters were stoned to death or
publicly whipped with 100 lashes. Those found guilty of homosexual acts
were crushed by having walls toppled over them. The most severe laws
were centered on women. According the Physicians for human rights, “Soon
after the Taliban took control of Kabul, the supreme court issued edicts
forbidding women to work outside the home, attend schools, or to leave their
homes unless accompanied by a husband. In public, women must be
covered from head to toe with only a mesh opening to see and breathe.
Those found in violation of the dress code were beaten in the streets.”
According to the same U.S Department of State article mentioned earlier,
“In 1998, 22% of women had reported having been detained and beaten by
the Taliban, mostly because of dress code violations”

Contention 2: Afghanistan citizens with NATO:

Sub-Point A: The Taliban

The greatest contribution NATO made in Afghanistan was depriving the
Taliban of their power. According to the Council on Foreign Relations,
“Before the Taliban was defeated by the invasion in 2001, the Taliban
controlled 90% of Afghanistan territory.” But now, according to a CNN
national security analysis, “A map complied by the U.N. in 2009 indicated
that the Taliban controlled only 7 % of Afghanistan in 2009.” The Taliban’s
rule brought many detriments to Afghanistan. It is NATO’s presence that
has subdued the Taliban and in effect improved the livelihood of all Afghan
citizens.

Sub-Point B: Women’s Rights

With the help of NATO, women have been re-integrated into Afghan
society. According to a recent time magazine article, “Women are present in
the workforce and are present in the government. They are eligible to enroll
in the army and police force and the constitution reserves 25 percent of
parliamentary seats for female representatives. The lack of the Taliban has
improved the lives of all female Afghani’s.

Sub-Point C: Health
According to the United States Agency for International Development,
“Today, 85% of the Afghan population has access to basic health services
compared to 9% in 2002. 90% of Afghan children have been vaccinated
against polio since the 2001 invasion. Infant mortality rates have decreased
by 22% and child mortality rates have decreased since 2002. Healthcare is
now readily available for all afghan citizens, and improving the health of the
citizens is improving their lives.