Hello world!

Hello world!
“Taliban claim two Spanish victims.” ” US General: 2011 Afghanistan Deadline 'Giving Our Enemy Sustenance'.” “Corruption Tie in Afghanistan Has Echoes of CIA's Past‎.” These headings were found after a 2 minute Google News search. The power of Web 2.0!

Follow me as this college senior, blogging novice, and perpetually confused Third Culture Kid tracks the development of current events in Afghanistan over the course of the semester. There is certainly no shortage of newsworthy events at the moment. As an International Relations major with a focus in International Security and a minor in Middle East Studies, I am greatly interested in Aghanistan’s role in the Middle East (and NATO’s role in it) and how that role will change in the immediate future. I am also keen to explore how aspects of life such as culture, religion and economics play into both Afghanistan’s domestic politics and foreign policy. I will however confess that my knowledge of the area is very limited, and I hope this blog will enable me to further develop my understanding as I seek out various news sources and create my own analysis.

Yes, it is a heavy subject. Yes, it is a subject that should be handled delicately. Yes, it is a potentially depressing subject that may result in me sleeping with my stuffed toys again. So why am I doing this?

My interest is not all academic. I may specialize in International Security, but I have always wanted to work in the non-profit sector in some capacity, whether it be in an office in Washington DC or out in the field. I understand that there are certain risks that come with the job, depending on what you do and where you are. At least, I thought I did. There really is little justification to have people like Karen Woo expect an average lifespan of a few days once they set foot on the land they choose to work in, especially when the job description is to preserve life, not end it. The increase in deadly attacks against peacekeepers and NGO personnel in the Middle East has made such professions extremely dangerous, as many organizations have pulled out workers from hotspots or ceased operations all together. Security and charity may seem like they are on opposite ends of the international relations spectrum, but the two are irrevocably linked, especially in such volatile regions.

On a final note, I enter this debate from a politically liberal background. While I do not have significant ties to Afghanistan or the United States, I am a British citizen, whom spent this past spring wearing down Edinburgh’s cobblestones persuading voters-to-be to vote for the Labour party. (We all know how that turned out.) Such influences will no doubt be reflected in my commentary, but I have been moving to a more centrist position and am always happy to accept ideas and arguments from other points of view. My main objective is not to be overly partisan; there are enough columns, op-eds, and blogs out there for that. The goal of this blog is to ensure I am well-informed to make my own judgements about each situation, and help readers to do the same.