July 11, 2010

Conversation about war in Afghanistan- The person I chose to discuss the war in Afghanistan with was my dad. He believed the war to be unnecessary and that it was the main cause of our country’s debt. Also, in his view, the U.S should not have the sole responsibility of carrying out such task (ending terrorism- the Al Qaeda). My dad believes that there is a greater reason we are there and have been there fighting the war for 9 years, he thinks we are in search for precious metals (such as the ones found that were worth $3 trillion). I agreed with my father to a certain extent, yes it was a major cause of our county’s economic crisis, but I don’t believe it was completely unnecessary. The purpose of our country being in Afghanistan is to protect both our country and theirs.
My overall impression of the conversation with my father was that we shared many similar views. Obviously we both believe that we should end the war. Although perhaps we would be considered a “weak” nation, I believe it would be worth giving up so we may concentrate on the progress of our country. As the conversation unrolled, I began to rethink my initial perceptions. My dad’s views seemed to have in a way, altered mine. I believe the discussion helped me to further understand how this war affects the people. We spoke about the many different military families who have to live through every day not knowing if their loved ones are surviving in Afghanistan or not. We also spoke about the people in Afghanistan who have been terrorized by the Al Qaeda and the Taliban, so we concluded that it was a major disadvantage to both countries to be fighting this war.