SAGE Lecture Spark [11/20/18] The Publisher of the Social Sciences

Stop Using Pakistan as a Scapegoat: PM Imran Khan  “U.S. President Donald Trump ranted that Pakistan doesn't ‘do a damn thing for us’ and accused the country of harboring terrorists.” The Pakistani Prime Minister responded: "The U.S. should do a serious assessment of why, despite 140,000 NATO troops plus 250,000 Afghan troops and reportedly $1 trillion spent on war in Afghanistan, the Taliban today are stronger than before.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/11/19/stop-using-pakistan-scapegoat-americas-disastrous-war-terror-pm-imran-khan

Study: US Has Spent Nearly $6T on War Since 9/11 An annual analysis from the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University concluded “The United States is on track to have spent nearly $6 trillion on war since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.” This exceeds Pentagon estimates by looking at a wider variety of war-related costs. https://thehill.com/policy/defense/416663-study-us-has-spent-nearly-6t-on-war-since-9-11

Opinion: The War on Terror Isn't Just a Failure, It's Bankrupting Us “Since Sept. 11, 100 people have died in terrorist attacks by Muslim extremists, about six per year.” “Meanwhile, opioid fentanyl overdoses killed 20,000 people just in 2016.” “In Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, between 480,000 and 507,000 people (U.S. troops, civilians, contractors, and otherwise) have been killed since Sept. 11. The lives of Americans and our allies are more valuable than unwinnable wars overseas.” https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-war-on-terror-isnt-just-a-failure-its-bankrupting-us

Report: In Afghanistan, a 17-Year Stalemate “America’s top general admitted the war is at an impasse. The Taliban is ‘not losing right now, I think that is fair to say,’ said Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Violence, suicide attacks, and the persistent efforts of the Islamic State seem to indicate a kind of stalemate. https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/11/20/in-afghanistan-a-17-year-stalemate-us-war-pentagon/

Key Concepts The War on Terror: A Media Retrospective President Trump has, on a number of occasions disparaged the media, often calling it “fake news” when it covers topics critical of his administration’s policies. Freedom of the press, deemed essential by Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, allows the constituents of the U.S. to visit (and revisit) the actions of the government, decide what they value, and vote accordingly.

Assessment Writing: The American people vote for the officials who initiate and perpetuate wars. Are the American people to blame for the hundreds of thousands of deaths from the War on Terrorism? Debate: Like Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford during the Vietnam War, Trump entered the presidency with a war in progress. For this reason, is he to be held accountable for the ongoing difficulties of the war, to what degree, and why (or why not)? Poll: How do you personally feel about President Trump criticizing world leaders via Twitter? Very Badly, Badly, Don’t Care, Good, Very Good Short Answer: Have the actions of the U.S. abroad served as a fair and appropriate response to the terrorist attacks during 9/11? Why or why not? Current Events Quiz President Trump accused Pakistan of: In response, the Pakistani Prime Minister called for the United States to do a serious ___ of its tactics. An annual analysis from the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University concluded the United States has: The numbers from the Watson Institute ___ those of the Pentagon’s estimates.  America’s top general has admitted that the war in Afghanistan is: Answers Harboring terrorists Reassessment Spent nearly 6 trillion on the War on Terror Exceeded 5. At an impasses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVr0MSEW2SU   [double click slide to watch video] The Costs of War Project at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs illustrates the human toll of the post-9/11 wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. While a few years old, this video adds a great deal of perspective to the visualization of the war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kluRd6Q8D1k   President Trump delivers speech at the White House on providing support to veterans and military families.