Successful Offensive in Afghanistan (Amy Maxon)

Coalition troops find 'minimal interference' in assault on Taliban From Atia Abawi, CNN February 14, 2010 3:09 a.m. EST http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/13/afghanistan.offensive/index.html The military offensive that began yesterday in the southern Marjah region of Afghanistan is reportedly going well. A coalition of US, British, NATO, and Afghan troops are attempting to drive the Taliban from this region, where most of the opium that funds the Taliban is grown. Local citizens were warned of the assault in advance so that minimal civilian casualties would occur, but already two teenagers have died. The coalition troops have used air strikes followed by ground attack, and have faced minimal Taliban counter-fire. What most interests me about this event is that it is a coalition of troops from several countries that is carrying out the offensive and other elements of the war in Afghanistan. I believe that there has been opposition to the presence of British and NATO forces in Afghanistan, but they seem to be doing a good job and are probably badly needed. Although this is mostly an American war on terror, other nations are involved in the conflict, fighting for the same democratic ideals that the US is promoting. This brings up the role of institutionalism and cooperation, which we have been discussing. NATO is a large and important institution, largely controlled by the US, which seems to be doing good work in an area that was once under the unofficial rule of a terrorist organization. While NATO troops are being used for American objectives (protecting the US homeland and spreading democracy), those could also be the goals of its member states and most nations around the world. Thus, one institution, with the cooperation of its many member states, is serving the world by abolishing terrorism and rebuilding a country through the only means it understands: democracy. The fact that the British are playing such a large role in Afghanistan is also interesting. While the US and Britain have historically been allies in world politics, the Brits were not too eager at first to join in the war on terror. It seems that now, though, they have decided that fighting in the war fits with their goals. Perhaps they have become more interested in pursuing world peace through cooperation and democracy, as Owen would suggest to do.