Excerpt from State.Gov

The History of Afghanistan WHAP/Napp Objective: To identify and describe significant turning points in the history of Afghanistan Do Now: Discuss the Taliban and its governmental policies

Cues: Notes: I. Essential Facts: Introduction to Afghanistan A. Ethnically mixed population reflects location astride historic trade and invasion routes leading through Central ______B. Pashtuns make up the largest ethnic group at 42% C. Islamic country80% Sunni; the remainder is predominantly ______D. Largely based on kinship groups, though somewhat less so in urban areas II. A Turbulent History A. In 328 BCE, Alexander the Great entered territory, then part of Persian Empire, and established a ______state in Bactria B. Invasions by Scythians, White Huns, and _____ followed C. In 642 CE, Arabs invaded the entire region and introduced ______D. Arab rule gave way to Persians until conquered by Turkic Ghaznavids in 998 then destructive Mongol invasion in 1219 led by ______Khan E. In late 14th century, Tamerlane incorporated Afghanistan into his empire F. In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani established his ______G. 1800scollision between British Empire and czarist Russia influenced Afghanistan in what was termed “The Great ______” H. Two Anglo-Afghan warsbut in a third war, war-weary British relinquished control by signing Treaty of Rawalpindi in August 1919 I. King Amanullah (1919-1929) moved to end country’s ______isolation and modernize the nation J. King alienated tribal leadersforced to ______K. Mohammad Zahir Shah succeeded to throne and reigned from 1933 to 1973 L. Amid charges of ______and poor economy, former Prime Minister Sardar Mohammad Daoud seized power in a military coup on July 17, 1973 M. Daoud abolished the ______N. But On April 27, 1978, communist PDPA (People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan) initiated a bloody coup murder of Daoud and most of his family O. In December 1978, Moscow signed a treaty of friendship and ______with Afghanistan, and the Soviet military assistance program increased significantly P. But even with Soviet support, As much as 80% of the countryside eluded government controlCommunist program ______traditional Afghans III. A Long and Bloody Conflict A. Afghan fighters (mujahideen) made it almost impossible for the regime to maintain a system of local government outside major ______centers B. Poorly armed at first, in 1984 mujahideen began receiving substantial assistance from the U.S. and other outside ______(Cold War) C. About 14,500 Soviet and an estimated one million ______lives were lost between 1979 and the Soviet withdrawal in 1989 Summaries: Cues: D. 1988 Geneva accords were signed, which included a timetable that ensured full Soviet ______from Afghanistan by February 15, 1989 E. But mujahideen were party to neither negotiations nor to 1988 agreement, and, consequently, refused to ______the terms of accords F. Civil war continued after Soviet withdrawal, which was completed in 1989 G. Eventually, the mujahideen entered ______to assume control over city and central government but a new round of internecine fighting began IV. Taliban A. Had risen to power in mid-1990s in reaction to ______and warlordism that arose after withdrawal of Soviet forces B. Many Taliban had been educated in madrassas in ______and were largely from rural southern Pashtun backgrounds C. By end of 1998, the Taliban occupied about 90% of the country D. Imposed an extreme interpretation of Islam E. Human rights violations, particularly directed ______women and girls F. In 2001, as part of a drive against relics of Afghanistan’s pre-Islamic past, Taliban destroyed two huge ______statues carved into a cliff face outside of the city of Bamiyan G. Provided sanctuary to Osama bin Laden, a Saudi national who had fought with mujahideen resistance against ______H. Bin laden and Al-Qaida acknowledged responsibility for September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against U.S.A. I. U.S.A. invasion of Afghanistan (October 7, 2001) Taliban ______rapidly, and Kabul fell on November 13, 2001 J. Afghan factions opposed to Taliban met at a United Nations conference and agreed to restore ______and governance to Afghanistan K. “Loya Jirga” (Grand Council) decided on the structure of the government L. Hamid Karzai announced as winner and was inaugurated as Afghanistan’s first democratically elected ______V. After the Taliban A. U.S. assistance for Afghanistan’s reconstruction from the fiscal year 2001 to 2011 totals over $40 billion B. An estimated 85% or Afghans are dependent on ______C. Opium poppy production and opium trade continue to have a significant monetary share of country’s agricultural economy D. Has one of the highest mortality rates in the ______E. One in five children dies before the age of five and one out of every eight Afghan women die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth each year F. Life expectancy is only 44 years for both men and ______G. But advancesduring the Taliban regime, no girls were registered in schoolstoday 36.3% of the ______is girls H. Ongoing support of literacy is paramount, as well as the quality and preparation of teachers in order to close the ______gap left by 30 years of conflict I. United Nations has played an ______role in Afghanistan for more than 20 years, assisting in repatriation of Afghan refugees and providing humanitarian aid Summaries: Questions: 1. Which of the following statements is 4. The regime of the Iranian Shah not true of modern terrorism? Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was overthrown (A)Modern terrorists routinely because employ violence against civilian A) He alienated conservative Shia Muslims targets. with his secular reforms. (B) Modern terrorists use B) He used CIA money to suppress all sophisticated modern weapons dissent. and technologies. C) He allowed western corporations to (C)Modern terrorists are not dominate the economy. confined to any one state and D) All of the above. operate effectively across borders. E) A and b, not c. (D)Modern terrorists have been largely successful in achieving their political objectives. 5. What is the largest ethnic group of (E) All of the above statements about Afghanistan? terrorism are true. (A) Pashtun (B) Tajik 2. The perceived grievances of al-Qaeda (C) Hazara against the United States and its (D) Aimak allies include all of the following (E) None of the above except (A)U.S. support of the Israeli 6. Which religion do most Afghans follow? occupation of Palestinian lands. (A) Christianity (B) The presence of American troops (B) Islam in the holy land of Saudi Arabia. (C) Hinduism (C)U.S. failure to support the (D) Judaism mujahideen in their war against (E) None of the above the Soviet Union. (D)U.S. sanctions against Iraq. 7. Which of the following ideas was given to (E) All of the above are grievances of Muslims on the authority of the Qur'an? al-Qaeda. (A) All earthly existence is merely an illusion. 3. What factor gave Britain justification for (B) Muhammad is God. interfering in Egyptian politics in the late (C) The soul may be reborn in another 1800s? earthly form after the death of the (A) Lawrence of Arabia's military individual. campaigns there (D) Moses and Jesus were both great (B) Its control over Palestine prophets sent by God for the benefit of (C) Its archaeological expeditions humanity. (D) Its majority of shares in the ownership (E) The cow is a sacred animal, and the of the Suez Canal eating of beef is therefore a sacrilegious and (E) Queen Victoria's marriage to an impure act. Egyptian prince Excerpt from state.gov “…Prior to the rise of the Taliban, women in Afghanistan were protected under law and increasingly afforded rights in Afghan society. Women received the right to vote in the 1920s; and as early as the 1960s, the Afghan constitution provided for equality for women. There was a mood of tolerance and openness as the country began moving toward democracy. Women were making important contributions to national development. In 1977, women comprised over 15% of Afghanistan's highest legislative body. It is estimated that by the early 1990s, 70% of schoolteachers, 50% of government workers and university students, and 40% of doctors in Kabul were women. Afghan women had been active in humanitarian relief organizations until the Taliban imposed severe restrictions on their ability to work. These professional women provide a pool of talent and expertise that will be needed in the reconstruction of post-Taliban Afghanistan. Islam has a tradition of protecting the rights of women and children. In fact, Islam has specific provisions which define the rights of women in areas such as marriage, divorce, and property rights. The Taliban's version of Islam is not supported by the world's Muslims. Although the Taliban claimed that it was acting in the best interests of women, the truth is that the Taliban regime cruelly reduced women and girls to poverty, worsened their health, and deprived them of their right to an education, and many times the right to practice their religion. The Taliban is out of step with the Muslim world and with Islam. Afghanistan under the Taliban had one of the worst human rights records in the world. The regime systematically repressed all sectors of the population and denied even the most basic individual rights. Yet the Taliban's war against women was particularly appalling. Women are imprisoned in their homes, and are denied access to basic health care and education. Food sent to help starving people is stolen by their leaders. The religious monuments of other faiths are destroyed. Children are forbidden to fly kites, or sing songs... A girl of seven is beaten for wearing white shoes. The Taliban first became prominent in 1994 and took over the Afghan capital, Kabul, in 1996. The takeover followed over 20 years of civil war and political instability. Initially, some hoped that the Taliban would provide stability to the country. However, it soon imposed a strict and oppressive order based on its misinterpretation of Islamic law. The assault on the status of women began immediately after the Taliban took power in Kabul. The Taliban closed the women's university and forced nearly all women to quit their jobs, closing down an important source of talent and expertise for the country. It restricted access to medical care for women, brutally enforced a restrictive dress code, and limited the ability of women to move about the city. The Taliban perpetrated egregious acts of violence against women, including rape, abduction, and forced marriage. Some families resorted to sending their daughters to Pakistan or Iran to protect them. Afghan women living under the Taliban virtually had the world of work closed to them. Forced to quit their jobs as teachers, doctors, nurses, and clerical workers when the Taliban took over, women could work only in very limited circumstances. A tremendous asset was lost to a society that desperately needed trained professionals…” Thesis Statement: Change Over Time: Afghanistan 1979 – 2011 ______