“The Price of Going to Class” (NYT) In your CE spiral WRITE & answer one of the following 3 questions: Imagine you are a girl in Afghanistan. What are the potential fears you will have about going to school? How will these feelings impact you on a short-term basis? Long-term? What do you believe, 20 years down the road, will be the outcome of educating or not educating women on the democratic processes in Afghanistan? What is your opinion on America’s involvement in the Afghanistan government and actions taken in regards to the Taliban?

Afghanistan: People, Places, & Politics Notes & Photos taken from PBS & ABC-Clio

Data Overview Capital: Kabul Size: Slightly smaller than TX Population: 31 million (2006) 80% Sunni 19% Shi’a GDP per capita: $800 80% in agriculture

Geography Landlocked trade is difficult/ expensive Mountainous faces earthquakes & drought Extreme temps 120°F in summer -15°F in winter

Geography Limited water land is overgrazed  desertification  even harder to farm Covered by 5-7 million landmines

Ethnicity Pashtun (42%)- Sunni Tajik (27%)- Sunni Hazara (9%)- Shi`a Uzbek (9%)- Sunni

The People Some of poorest in world try to farm in place faced by drought, famine, & war Woman is drying dung to use as home insulation Boy is carrying a melon across mountainous terrain

16 yr old works for $1 a day US soldiers are very common & often interact with local people Schools lack resources, desks, etc. Girls were banned from 1995-2001

Woman is part of work-for-food program making land suitable for farming Afghan men at Friday prayer Women cover themselves to show modesty

Opium Supplies 89% of opium in world (illegal- makes heroin) Makes up 1/3 of GDP Drug lords make millions Govn’t trying to eliminate to focus on useful crops

Political History 1979: Invaded by USSR 1989: sign treaty with USSR Guerrilla war backed by US 1989: sign treaty with USSR 1995/6: Taliban takes control of govn’t Strict Islamic law, no women’s rights 2001: harbored al-Qaida, US bombed & forced Taliban out 2004: Hamid Karzai is 1st elected pres. 2006: Taliban begins resurgence, US fights, one province lost already

Osama bin Laden Leads al-Qaida: militant Islamic terrorist group Takes credit for 9/11 Harbored by Afghanistan/Pakistan Killed 5/1/11

The Taliban Ruled Afghanistan prior to 2001 Mullah Mohammad Omar The Taliban Ruled Afghanistan prior to 2001 Women had no rights or educ. No TV, music, games, or sports When ousted, went to poorest ppl, warlords, al-Qaida & other extremists to gain support & recruits…

President Karzai Elected in 2001, 2004, 2009 Democratic Islamic Republic Multiple assassination attempts Main Goals: Improve infrastructure Keep Taliban out of power Control drug lords & trade

“The Price of Going to Class” (NYT) On your own paper WRITE & answer on of the following 3 questions: Imagine you are a girl in Afghanistan. What are the potential fears you will have about going to school? How will these feelings impact you on a short-term basis? Long-term? What do you believe, 20 years down the road, will be the outcome of educating or not educating women on the democratic processes in Afghanistan? What is your opinion on America’s involvement in the Afghanistan government and actions taken in regards to the Taliban?