Five Years and Going – the U.S

Volume XV, No. 41 November 2006 P R O D U C ED B Y A N D FO R T H E S T U D E N T S O F Q U E E N S B O R O U G H C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E Five Years and Going – the U.S. is losing Afghanistan! BY NASRATULLAH MIR Five years ago U.S. forces entered ty to the country civilian targets and cases of disrespect to the coun- Afghanistan on an operation to drive the Taliban through a nation- try’s culture has forced the pubic to change some regime from power and to help democratize the al police force, of its views about the U.S. led war against terror in country. The operation was met with joy from providing speedy Afghanistan. both the Afghan people and the international com- country wide The anxiety is growing. Five years have gone munity; however, things have changed since then. r e c o n s t r u c t i o n by but there is still time to fix past mistakes and Most importantly, the Taliban are still active and ensuring formulate new strategies and policies - with the within Afghanistan and are continuing their basic human positive impacts of the U.S. still fresh in the peo- attacks on military and civilian targets. They have rights to the ple’s minds, it can still save the day if both coun- bounced back and retaken a large part of land whole popula- tries sit down and discuss some key issues that along Afghanistan’s southern border with Pakistan tion. American could help both keep their relationship as close as while the U.S. is busy in Iraq. At the start of the presence has it was at the start of war. war, U.S. allies and most of the Afghan population indeed had a • The US and Afghanistan government blindly followed American guidance when it came positive impact. should cooperate in building a national to the overall strategy of the war in Afghanistan; With U.S. help Afghanistan has written its consti- army and police that would not only be however the changes in the past five years have tution, had almost a democratically elected presi- up to international standards, but also brought about differences between the U.S. and dent (undermined by the fraud committed by acceptable to the Afghan population. some of its key allies in the war against terror, and Hamid Karzai), conducted democratic parliamen- • Afghanistan needs serious help in solving the people of Afghanistan are also beginning to tary elections and has seen financial improvement. its border issues on the Durand line. If the think on their own for a change. At the same time, The country has also seen a huge arrival of its problem is not solved and the border is not U.S. efforts to push its NATO allies to provide refugees while human rights and the rule of law demarcated, Pakistan will continue to more troops for Afghanistan so it could send more have been very slowly improving. But that is not drown Afghanistan in further turmoil. of its own troops south and east to Iraq do not the whole story. • Afghanistan needs to be guaranteed that in seem to be going successfully so far -only a few The U.S., despite its success, has also made case U.S. troops are withdrawn from the countries have agreed to send small contingents of mistakes in the past five years, some of which country, the international community will troops to Afghanistan. But for the Afghan people, have been extremely negative and dangerous to be there to help fill the gap. it’s Afghanistan that comes first, not Iraq. Afghans both the U.S. and Afghanistan. For example, the • A working strategy on how to rid had great expectations from the U.S. military pres- American government backed specific groups, Afghanistan of Taliban and other terror net- ence in Afghanistan: they wanted the U.S. to help such as friends of the President who include cor- work related violence. in ending the Taliban insurgency, bringing securi- rupt drug smugglers, racist groups and warlords; it Afghanistan still regards the U.S. as a friend. has promoted an infertile and defective policy in Afghans also understand the difficulties their ally eradicating poppy crops; it has not adequately is facing in Iraq. But if things go the same way INSIDE COMMUNIQUÉ dealt with Pakistan’s serious interference in they have in the past and the U.S. does not change Afghanistan’s affairs; and ineffectively prosecuted its military and political strategy in Afghanistan, the cases of prisoner and civilian abuse at the not only will it lose public support in Afghanistan, The Trouble with the MTA . pg. 2 hands of U.S. soldiers- at least not to the level of it will also undo the good it has done since The Demise of Film. pg. 2 the cases in Iraq. In addition, the bombardment of November 2001. Poetry Corner . pg. 3 How Thin is Too Thin? Open Mic: Closed for Business? . pg. 3 BY JILLIAN GUEITS “Thin is in” is what people believe, but has has gone too far in pushing an overly thin image Afghanistan: The Other U.S. War. pg. 4 the media and fashion world gone too far with the that women and young girls may try to emulate. War Vet to College Student . pg. 5 way they portray the “ideal body” for women? Gaunt images of celebrities such as Nicole Richie These days it seems as though every fashion mag- and Lindsey Lohan give the impression that girls Life and Death of CBGB’s . pg. 7 azine has a thin and beautifully airbrushed swim- and women need to be a size 2 to be considered suit model on its cover. On television more and attractive. Substance Abuse among College more unhealthily thin actresses are being shown. Psychologist Sharon Lamb, co author of Students. pg. 7 Most of these supermodels and actresses are so Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters unnaturally thin that they risk infertility, osteo- from Marketers’ Schemes states her concern: “It Sleep: Good for Your Grades . pg. 8 porosis and ultimately kidney damage. used to be that women would only occasionally Come on Down to Chinatown . pg. 9 In a recent Madrid fashion show, overly thin see rail- thin models such as Twiggy (the 60’s models with a BMI (body mass index) of 18.5 or fashion icon). But now they see them every day. How to Be Healthy . pg. 9 less were banned. The organizers stated that they It’s the norm, from catalogs and magazines to wanted to project health and beauty — therefore popular television shows such as Americas Next What if a Student has a the models had to be within a healthy weight Top Model and Project Runway. They are seeing Complaint? . pg. 10 range. skinny models over and over again.” Women and teenage girls today are bombard- What worries Lamb most is that these images Take Care of Your Money . pg. 12 ed with the message that they need to be super are influencing girls as young as 9 and 10. She skinny to be sexy. The American research group believes its fine for girls to want to feel sexy and The World of Warcraft . pg. 13 Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders pretty when they are teenagers, but that shouldn’t Sexual Predators Are Closer than Inc. says that one out of every four college aged be their primary focus. For most teenagers, the women uses unhealthy methods of weight control ideal person they want to be is a famous model or You Think . pg. 14 including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exer- actress and the emphasis is very much on external Basketball & the new Age Rule . pg. 16 cise, laxative abuse and self-induced vomiting. appearance. Perhaps this is part of the reason that Psychologists and eating disorder experts are con- so many teenagers today are unhappy with their And Much More Inside! cerned with the message the media is sending out appearance and are often on a diet — they per- to young women — they say the fashion industry Continued on page 13 2 Queensborough Communiqué, November 2006 E D I T O R I A L S These editorials represent the opinion of the Editorial Board of Communiqué, which is solely responsible for its contents. These are not necessarily the views of the Queensborough Community College administration and staff. Communiqué welcomes any letters or editorials for the population of QCC. Submit work to Communiqué, H-428. The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit letters for spatial needs and grammatical accuracy. The Trouble with the MTA BY TRISHA RAMDIHAL Waiting, pushing, shoving, standing — these for Queensborough students, the Horace Harding are all actions that affect Queensborough students buses are the first ones on the list to be revamped. who take public transportation to school every Public meetings are scheduled almost every day. It’s not new to students that the buses on month where anyone can attend as long as they Horace Harding are usually late and crowded. have a valid photo I.D. At these meetings, students Students have to spend the mornings rushing to can learn about the 15 candidate corridors, the class because the buses are delayed, and are frus- updates on the study, and will have the opportuni- trated again when they face the same delays going ty to provide their input in selecting the five home in the afternoon.

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