Talking Points: Afghanistan and Pakistan

AFGHANISTAN

Violence is increasing in Afghanistan:

- There were 0 suicide bombings in Afghanistan between 1983 and 2001. There were 160 in 2007, a steady increase

- There were 1,931 roadside bombings in 2006 and 2,615 in 2007

The Taliban is gaining strength:

- The Karzai government controls less than 1/3 of Afghanistan. The other two-thirds are either uncontrolled, in the hands of the Taliban or in the hands of warlords

- A June 2008 Taliban attack on a prison near Kandahar freed 1,200 prisoners, including between 350-400 Taliban fighters.

- At the end of June, NATO and Afghan forces launched a major offensive against Taliban forces in response to the Taliban’s seizure of at least 18 villages in Arghandab district.

Casualties are increasing:

- 556 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001

- 46 killed in June 2008 alone, the highest number of coalition deaths since the 2001 invasion

Troop levels, funding and staffing is inadequate:

- Adm. Micheal Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said additional forces will not be available to go to Afghanistan “unless or until the situation in Iraq allows us to do so.”

- $10.2 billion was pledged to Afghanistan over the next two years by the U.S. at an international donors conference in June, compared with the $10.3 billion spent in Iraq by the Department of Defense per month in Iraq in 2007.

- There are 36,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and 150,000 in Iraq.

- $25 billion was pledged in aid to Afghanistan from 2002-2008 by international donors (prior to June conference). Only $15 billion was actually spent. The U.S. pledged $10.4 billion but only spent $5 billion.

- 77% or 334 units of Afghan police are rated as “not capable” by the Department of Defense

Afghanis:

- Unemployment is high (estimated around 40%), poverty is widespread (2/3 of population live on fewer than $2/day), literacy levels are inadequate (adult literacy is only 28%) and life expectancy is low (life expectancy is 43 years old, more than 20% of all Afghan children die before age 5)

PAKISTAN:

Economic Crisis:

- The miniscule and shrinking middle class makes about 20-30% of its counterpart in the United States.

- The annual GDP in Pakistan is under $3,000.

- Prices for many things are going up in Pakistan. The government recently withdrew food subsidies, so food prices rose over 30% for the month of June

- Pakistan rupee has hit record lows while food and basic living expenses have continued to rise

- Overall inflations has climbed to over 20%

- The stock market is plummeting as foreign investment is staying away.

Shortage of Electricity and Water:

- Power goes out several times a day for anywhere between 5-12 hours as part of a nationwide power load sharing.

- Maintenance of current power plants has been delinquent, resulting in many plants running well under 100% and new power plants were not built to accommodate the increasing electricity usage.

- Numerous sections of Karachi are getting by with no water at all. Residents of waterless areas go to nearby neighborhoods early in the morning to steal water.

Political Instability:

- The unstable political climate is scaring away investment and hurting the economy.

- The government has been unable to resolve the status of the judges Musharraf dismissed last November, when Benazir Bhutto was jailed and Musharraf claimed military rule.

- While Pakistan’s political parties squabble over the rule of the country, they are failing to address the needs of Pakistanis, making the people increasingly frustrated with the government.

Pakistani “peace agreements” with Taliban and Taliban-linked groups

- The objective of the agreements is to end terrorist strikes and insurgent violence in Pakistan, which experienced a dramatic upsurge in 2007

- In return for stopping insurgent and terrorist attacks, Pakistan has withdrawn its forces from territory controlled by the Pakistani Taliban, leaving camps and weapons in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with the Taliban and halting all military operations against them.

- Islamabad denied responsibility for dealing with cross-border violence in Afghanistan, saying the Kabul government will have to handle the problem.

- Attacks in Afghanistan originating from Pakistan have doubled in recent months compared to last year.

Books from our Guests:

The Prosperity Agenda: What the World Wants from America – and What We Need in Return (by Brian Katulis and Nancy Soderberg, Wiley Publishers, July 2008)

Articles from our Guests:

“The Country Most Likely to Trigger 3 a.m. Calls” (by Brian Katulis – VIDEO, Center for American Progress, June 26, 2008)

“Like Sand Between their Fingers” (by Malou Innocent, CATO Institute, July 14, 2008)

“Disarming the World” (by Malou Innocent, CATO Institute, July 16, 2008)

“Alarm Bells in Afghanistan” (by Caroline Wadhams and Colin Cookman, Center for American Progress, July 4, 2008)

“Afghanistan Needs More Than Money” (by Caroline Wadhams and Colin Cookman, Center for American Progress, June 11, 2008)

“What to Do About the Terrorist Safe Haven in Pakistan” (Caroline Wadhams – VIDEO, Center for American Progress, May 5, 2008)

“Securing Pakistan’s Tribal Belt” (Report by Daniel Markey, Council on Foreign Relations, July 2008)

“Is Pakistan Appeasing the Taliban?” (by Sharad Joshi, Foreign Policy in Focus, June 13, 2008)

“The Real Crisis in Pakistan” (by Fouad Pervez, Foreign Policy in Focus, July 11, 2008)

“Pakistan’s New Tack on Fighting Terror” (by Ashley Tellis, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, May 9, 2008)

“Pakistan’s Record on Terrorism: Conflicted Goals, Compromised Performance” (by Ashley Tellis, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Spring 2008)

More Resources:

“Forgotten No Longer” (Center for American Progress, July 18, 2008)

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Afghanistan Page

British American Security Information Council’s Afghanistan Update, July 17, 2008

“Afghanistan: Invest in People” (report by Refugees International, July 10, 2008)

Related News:

“My Plan for Iraq” (by Barack Obama, Op-Ed in New York Times, July 14, 2008)

“‘Dozens of civilians’ killed in NATO strike in Afghanistan” (ABC News, July 17, 2008)

“Senior al-Qaida leader gives interview” (by Munir Ahmad, Associated Press, July 22, 2008)

“US air strike wiped out Afghan wedding party, inquiry finds” (by James Sturcke, Guardian, July 11, 2008)

“Civilian casualties fuel Afghan conflict” (by Jon Hemming, Analysis, Reuters, July 16, 2008)

“Pakistan’s intelligence role in Afghanistan” (by The Associated Press, July 7, 2008)

“Afghanistan might be tougher job than Iraq: Obama” (by Agence-France Presse, July 23, 2008)

“A Wake-Up Call From Afghanistan” (by Peter Slevin, Washington Post, July 23, 2008)

“Obama is saying the wrong things about Afghanistan” (by Juan Cole, Opinion, Salon, July 23, 2008)

“Afghanistan ‘urgent’, Obama says” (by Globe Wire Services, Boston Globe, July 23, 2008)

“Pakistan: Pro-Taliban militants prepare for fresh battle in north-west” (by Syed Saleem Shahzad, Adnkronos International –Italy- July 23, 2008)

“Pakistan troops kill 15 militants in northwest” (by Agence-France Presse, July 20, 2008):

“Pakistan winds up operation in northwest, says military” (by Agence-France Presse, July 23, 2008)

Recapture the Flag!

Recapture the Flag Talking Points

What is this campaign about?

This campaign is about restoring public faith in the core values of American democracy – freedom from tyranny, respect for individual liberty and human rights, and government based on the rule of law.

“Recapture the Flag” is a forward looking campaign to stake out the principles that expect the next president and Congress to stick to. So Common Cause is asking presidential and congressional candidates to sign a pledge outlining those principles, and they’re asking citizens across the country to get involved by signing a petition and helping to get their candidates to sign on.

Common Cause hopes to unite the public around renewing the promise and hope of American democracy.

Why is the campaign called “Recapture the Flag” and why the upside-down flag in the ad?

An upside-down flag is a well-known distress symbol, and we believe our democracy is in distress.

For the past seven years, the American people have witnessed repeated abuses of power by the Bush Administration and the failure of Congress to stand up for what’s right.

We’ve seen the nation led into war based on false premises and cynical half-truths.

We’ve seen our good name disgraced by torture, secret prisons and profiteering.

And we’ve seen our Constitution and laws ignored and violated.

As a result, our democracy has suffered at home and our reputation has been tarnished abroad. America is less free and less secure.

We want to right our country and reclaim the American flag as a symbol we can all be proud of.

Why is Common Cause doing this?

Common Cause was formed during the constitutional crisis of the 1970s as Richard Nixon sought to rise above the rule of law. We now face a similar and arguably greater crisis. The abuse of power and the disregard for the balance of power enshrined as an essential part of our democratic system goes to the heart of “good government” that works for the people.

This Administration has:

• illegally used warrantless wiretapping to spy on Americans
• attempted to severely restrict Habeas Corpus
• engaged in illegal torture
• declared publicly the executive will not comply with aspects of laws it objects to through the use of signing statements
  
• abused Executive Privilege by refusing to allow staff and former staff to comply with Congressional subpoenas
• used the Justice Department to carry out a partisan political agenda
  
• brought the country to war with Iraq based on intelligence the Administration knew or should have known was inaccurate

We need to hold the Bush Administration accountable for its violations of the U.S. Constitution, domestic and international law, and make sure that the abuses of power we’ve seen over the past seven years do not set a precedent for the future. We also need to demand that Congress take its constitutionally mandated powers of oversight seriously, no matter who is the president.

• The framers of the Constitution intended to create tension between the three branches as the basis of the system of checks and balances.
• Congress under Republican leadership has completely deferred to the Bush White House and abandoned the loyalties to the institution they serve
• If a Democratically controlled Congress and White House continue this pattern, we are in for more of the same.

Is this partisan? Isn’t President Bush almost out of office anyway?

No. When the next President takes office in January – no matter which candidate wins – there will be many issues that will still need to be resolved:

• Guantanamo Bay will still hold hundreds of prisoners in a legal no-man’s-land
• American military and intelligence personnel may still use waterboarding as an interrogation technique
• the question of whether senior White House aides enjoy “absolute immunity” from congressional subpoenas, as the Bush Administration has claimed
• the proper use of signing statements
• Entire system of contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan still rife with no-bid contracts to companies that have failed to deliver services in the past
• Ongoing investigations into political interference with hiring at federal agencies
• Wiretapping issue? Even a vote this summer won’t be the end of it

What does Common Cause hope to accomplish?

Common Cause’s long-term goals for the campaign are to:

• Create a shared national vision of how Executive Branch abuses of power have eroded America’s democracy at home and our standing abroad, and what the American people can do to fix it.
• Restore the nation’s understanding and reverence for the U.S. Constitution, the rule of law, a free and open society, human rights, and our American system of checks and balances.
• Expose, end and prevent Executive Branch abuses of power.
• Hold this and all future Administrations accountable for violations of the Constitution, domestic and international law.
• Reinvigorate Congress to fulfill its constitutional duties and responsibilities
• Restore America’s standing in the world as a leader for democracy, freedom and human rights.
• Empower America’s citizenry to take back our democracy, and create vehicles for citizen engagement and participation in that fight.

What is Common Cause asking people to do?

Common Cause has developed a set of principles that they are demanding Congress and the next President support, and they are asking citizens to help them in this campaign.

They are asking people to show their support for these principles by signing the citizen’s pledge which is available on their website at www.commoncause.org/recapturetheflag

Common Cause has also developed a similar pledge that they are asking all of the candidates running for office this year in the House of Representatives the Senate and the two presidential candidates, which is also available on their website.

People can find out whether the candidates running for office in their district have signed the pledge and join a discussion group with other people in their district about these issues and any events that are going to be happening.

Common Cause is asking people to engage the candidates in their district about these issues by going to public events and asking questions. In addition to the background information on their website, there is a sample set of questions people can print out and bring as well as a copy of the candidate pledge they can hand-deliver to the candidates themselves.

How can I get involved?

Sign the Citizen’s Pledge at www.recapturetheflag.com.

Ask your representatives and candidates to sign the Candidate Pledge at www.recapturetheflag.com.

Learn more about the issues and ask the candidates about their specific positions at www.recapturetheflag.com

Have my representatives signed the Pledge?

Find out at www.recapturetheflag.com

What other groups are involved in this effort?

The Partnership for a Secure America (PSA) is dedicated to recreating the bipartisan center in American national security and foreign policy.

PSA believes that the United States is being ill-served by the growing partisan divide surrounding its national security and foreign policy. Although partisan rancor has traditionally stopped “at the water’s edge,” this tradition of bipartisan cooperation has eroded significantly in recent years in negative and harmful ways.

Where does Common Cause stand on impeachment?

Common Cause does not have a stand on impeachment. For Common Cause, this is about calling attention to the abuses of power so they don’t set a precedent for future administrations. They will support hearings into activities of the Bush Administration, and see what is revealed. But as of now, this is not about impeachment.

Talking Points: Lessons From Iraq

IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM IRAQ:

Preventive war. In place of the idea that wars should be started only as a last resort, our current national security doctrine is based on the theory that they should be fought to prevent future enemies from developing. They are the means to create the conditions of peace. Our Iraq experience has been the test case for this theory. We know now how well it has worked out.

Politicized intelligence. Knowing that these theories were not, by themselves, going to create mass public support for an attack on a country that had not attacked or threatened the United States, the Bush administration set about to create a false case that such an attack might be imminent. They did it, among other means, by pressuring and manipulating our existing intelligence agencies, as well as by creating substitute intelligence organs, to give them the answers they wanted.

The war on civil liberties. The preventive war doctrine paved the way for an emboldened assault on civil protections, from circumventing a congressional ban on torture of detainees to permitting warrantless wiretapping of citizens.

(By Miriam Pemberton, “Now Class, Let’s Review Iraq’s Lessons”, 6/14/08)

HIDING THE WAR COST IN BLOOD AND TREASURE

• The cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars has largely been funded through borrowing, taxes have not been raised to pay for it and the costs have been diverted to the future.
• The Bush Administration has asked for (and received time and time again from Congress) Supplemental “Emergency” War Funding, allowing over $660 billion in supplemental requests. This has taken the whole picture of Iraq and Afghanistan War funding out of the overall budget consideration.
• Accounting for the Wars is misleading because the Administration is doing “cost” accounting of immediate costs and not “accrual” accounting of long termed costs and depreciation. These include healthcare for returning veterans and other associated benefits as well as depreciation of military equipment.
• The cost of the war in “blood”, that is the number of deaths and injuries, is hidden and misleading because of the force of contractors in Iraq and the lack of accounting for the death toll on Iraqi military and civilians.

WAR MOTIVES

• There have been no WMD’s found in Iraq, Freedom and Democracy are questionable and the threat from terrorism has not been quelled, indeed it may have been increased.
• Although Administration officials have consistently denied the Iraq War is a war for oil, recent no-bid oil contracts to service Iraq’s oil fields have gone to Western oil companies.
• The first military action of the Iraq invasion was an armed raid on Iraq’s offshore oil facilities, securing Iraq’s oil resources.
• There was a Working Group on Oil and Energy, a mix of pro-American expatriate Iraqi oil managers, assembled by the U.S. Department of State in late 2002 to establish the guidelines for privatization of the Iraqi oil industry once Saddam Hussein was removed and a new regime put in place in Baghdad.
• Iraq is the second largest oil supply in the world and many feel there is undiscovered oil in Iraq which could boost it’s production and supply by up to 100%

WEB RESOURCES