George Bush's position on

Afghanistan: The Al Quada terrorist network claimed responsibility for the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Bush Administration immediately vowed to hold the terrorist groups, and nations supporting them, responsible. Less than a week after the 9/11 attacks President Bush outlined his plans for retaliation to Congress. On October 7, less than one month after 9/11, American forces began an invasion of Afghanistan with three goals in mind: "to capture or kill top Al Qaeda leaders, destory the terrorist infrastructure within Afghanistan, and remove the Taliban from power" (Daalder 123). US Military forces still occupy Afghanistan. Al Queda leader Osama Bin Laden has not been captured.

Quotation from Candidate: In the October 13th Presidential Debate he stated, "As a result of securing ourselves and ridding the Taliban out of Afghanistan, the Afghan people had elections this weekend. And the first voter was a 19-year-old woman. Think about that. Freedom is on the march." (link) Bush outlines his security plan.

Assessment of the proposal:

Positive: CURRENTLY BEING RESEARCHED

Negative: Afghanistan's political landscape is still largely dominated by armed parties loyal to individual warlords, who are preventing the effective implementation of the 2001 Bonn Agreements and threatening both the security and validity of the upcoming presidential elections. (Brookings)

Washington's single-minded focus on the fight against al Qaeda and Taliban remnants while neglecting broader Afghan security issues could backfire. U.S military forces are as involved in local politics and civil affairs as ever, and the short-term re-equipment of certain militias could destabilize an already tenuous process and prolong U.S. deployment in the region. (Brookings)

Comparison: John Kerry criticizes the Bush Administration's choice to work with Afghan military forces. Kerry advocates using US Military Special Operations to capture Bin Laden.

Link to Kerry's issue page

Sources

Daalder, Ivo H and James M. Lindsay. America Unbound: The Bush Revolution in Foreign Policy. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2003.