Afghan Refugees Lecture Notes

Week 18 Homework: Afghan Refugees

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  • Upload notes with the four answered homework questions for week 18 credit.

  • Lecture covers Afghan refugees due to time constraints preventing in-class discussion.

Afghan Refugees Chapter

  • Focus question: How did Afghan refugees adapt to their new life in America?

  • Distinction between immigrants and refugees:

    • Immigrants: Choose to come to a country for opportunities (e.g., Chinese for gold, Japanese for jobs, Filipinos as US nationals).

    • Refugees: Pushed out of their country due to war or conflict, often desiring to return but unable.

  • Study questions:

    • How did the conflict in Afghanistan push refugees out of Kabul?

    • How did Afghan refugees integrate into The United States?

    • How are Afghan refugees treated post-9/11?

  • Key terms and ideas: Mujahideen, Taliban, Kabul, 9/11, Little Kabul (Fremont).

Historical Context: Afghanistan

  • Similar to Vietnam, the situation in Afghanistan involves communism/Soviet invasions.

  • 1979: Soviet Union invades Afghanistan.

  • Prior to the invasion:

    • 1973: Afghanistan ruled by King Zaire Shah.

    • Mohammed Dawud Khan stages a coup, removing King Shah and establishing a constitutional republic.

    • 1978: Mohammed Dawud Khan ousted, causing extreme instability.

  • 1979: Soviets invade, installing a pro-communist leader, Babrak Kamal (puppet state).

  • This increases Cold War tensions between The United States and The Soviet Union.

  • Proxy wars: Larger powers (US and Soviet Union) fund smaller countries fighting over ideological goals.

  • The United States opposes the Soviet Union's expansion of communism.

US Concerns About Afghanistan (Pause and Reflect Exercise)

  • Oil: Middle East is rich in oil, providing economic and strategic importance.

  • USSR: The US opposes the expansion of communism during the Cold War.

  • Nine Eleven: Afghanistan was believed to have harbored Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

  • 2002: US invades Afghanistan.

After Soviet Invasion (1979)

  • The US allies with anti-Soviet groups, like the Mujahideen (anti-Soviet rebel forces).

  • The US provides weapons (AK-47s, bazookas) and CIA training.

  • The US and the Mujahideen disagree on religious and political policies.

  • The Mujahideen have a fundamentalist view of religion, oppressive towards women and families.

  • In 1989, the Soviets withdraw due to conflict and Mujahideen guerrilla tactics.

  • Mujahideen hid in hills and attacked Soviet tanks in the valleys.

Power Vacuum After Soviet Withdrawal

  • The withdrawal creates a power vacuum, as different Mujahideen groups vie for power.

  • The Taliban, the largest group within the Mujahideen, gains control in 1996.

  • The Taliban are fundamentalist Islamists with a strict interpretation of Quran/Islam.

  • Taliban enforces strict interpretations of religious law.

  • Results in oppression: Women are denied education and forced to wear coverings.

Taliban Rule (Video Observations)

  • 1996-2001: Taliban in power, creating a draconian fundamentalist state.

  • Women prevented from going to school, movies, entertainment barred.

  • Men forced to wear beards, women forced to wear burqas.

  • Public executions carried out.

  • Extreme form of Islam with no liberties.

  • Taliban seen as a repressive guerrilla group, causing a humanitarian crisis.

  • Internal displacement and refugees fleeing to Pakistan.

  • The US mission in Afghanistan considered a failure.

  • The role of the UN is to provide humanitarian aid.

  • Reports of severe restrictions on human rights.

Nine Eleven and US Involvement

  • 9/11: Planes flown into World Trade Center and Pentagon, one crashed in Pennsylvania.

  • The hijackers were part of Al Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden.

  • The US sees ties between the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and Afghanistan.

  • 2002: US invades Afghanistan, overthrows the Taliban.

  • The US remains in Afghanistan from 2002-2021.

US Pullout (2021)

  • Trump promised to bring troops home; Biden acted on this promise.

  • The pullout was chaotic, leading to the rapid fall of Afghanistan.

  • The US pullout causes chaos throughout Afghanistan.

US Pullout of Afghanistan (Video Observations)

  • Afghans throng to Kabul airport, desperate to leave.

  • No security checks, just force of numbers.

  • The US focuses on evacuating American diplomats.

  • Afghans cling to aircraft as it takes off.

  • The Taliban takes control of Kabul, setting up checkpoints.

  • Taliban bans beauty salons and education for women.

  • Reports of atrocities, including abductions, rape, and executions.

  • The Taliban are stronger than 20 years prior.

Impact of US Pullout: Human Cost

  • A young soccer star on the Afghan National Youth Soccer Team died falling from the plane.

  • Forced to leave home due to the US pullout and Taliban takeover

Afghan Refugees

  • Many flee to Pakistan, living in refugee camps with poor conditions.

  • Many refugees live in conditions where trash is piled up, they don't have sanitary water, or a clean place to live.

  • Many refugees are also fleeing to The United States.

  • Many were interpreters for the US military from 2002.

  • The interpreters are fleeing for their lives because of the Taliban

  • 2007: Approximately 240,000 Afghan refugees arrived.

  • 2021 onwards: Approximately 90,000 admitted.

  • Approximately 5,900,000 Afghan refugees have left the country so far.

Adaptation in America: Little Kabul

  • Write down two positives and two negatives about how Afghans adapted to life in America.

Adaptation in America

  • Establishing communities like Little Kabul (Fremont, CA).

  • Celebrating traditions like Melrose (Afghan New Year).

  • Building mosques and opening grocery markets and restaurants.

  • Learning English as a second language.

  • Post 9/11: Questioning, seen as un-American.

  • Language barriers.

  • Cultural conflicts: Elders want to preserve culture, new refugees want to assimilate.

Integration vs. Assimilation

  • Assimilation: Giving up parts of your culture to fit into America.

  • Integration: Keeping your culture and integrating it into the American fabric.

  • Afghan refugees don't give up their culture; their communities thrive.

  • Markets, mosques, and celebrating Afghan New Year bring community together.

  • Is integration or assimilation the better option?

Conclusion

  • Lecture concludes, some parts to be reviewed in class before a fun activity and the final exam.

  • Final exam on the last two days of class.

  • Review session: May 16, 2-5 PM in Low K 209 (optional).