Reference no: EM133684684 , Length: Words Count:750
The Forever War is a grounds-eye view of the American presence in Afghanistan and Iraq. The author is a journalist and he writes about his own experiences and those of various people he meets, so not a traditional point of view that's focused on leaders and polices.
For this paper you have a choice of reading and writing about either Part 1 (Kabul, Afghanistan) or Part 2 (Bagdad, Iraq) of the book. You only need to read and discuss one of the parts, though you are welcome to read the whole book...it's a good read, hopefully you'll enjoy it. You'll need to listen to the interview with the author no matter which part you choose to read.
For this assignment, discuss Part 1/Kabul, Afghanistan, September 1998 (p. 13-67).
- What did you learn about Afghani culture and society from this reading?
- How did the war change their lives?
- How do the people the author meets feel about the war?
Finally, discuss how Filkins felt about the American withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Considering his hope (expressed in the interview) that the Taliban would not make major changes regarding the role of women in Afghanistan, and looking at the information in the articles about women (Today in Afghanistan page), do you think Filkins was right?
Use specific information from the book, articles (Today in Afghanistan page) and interview in your answer.
Do not use quotes of more than a few words. When you are discussing an idea or event from the book add the page number or numbers in parenthesis at the end of your sentence or paragraph. For example: At the Kabul International Airport a group of women were talking about how the war changed their lives; where previously they had enjoyed traveling and shopping outside of the country, they were now forced by their husbands' political views to remain in the Afghanistan (p. 42-43). If you're listening to the audio version, use the time stamp for that section.
Don't just discuss the events and people from the first few pages, include information that makes it clear that you have read all of Part 1 and listened to the interview.
Minimum word count 750 words for either option.