Essay research

[The Generals Son]

I've been researching information for the past few hours in order to write a paper - now I am crying for help.  I want to compare and contrast public opinion on the Afghanistan mission before and after the transition from Kabul to Kandahar.  So, can anyone lead me to an article(s) regarding the transition?  Perhaps there are even papers similar to my topic that I have yet to stumble across? 

I am open to suggestions as well - don't hesitate.

:warstory:

 

[Wookilar]

I did some similar searching a few months ago for a paper I was doing.

All I can say is, "Good Luck!"

When it comes to public opinion on the switch from Kabul to K'har, I could not find one article. I'm sure that 99.9% of "the public" have no idea that there are two cities in A'stan. Don't even get me started on the whole Apollo/Archer difference. The press and therefore, the public, haven't got a clue about any details of our missions, nor do they seem to care. They might pretend to care (i.e. Taliban Jack and friends), but that is very different from actually caring.

Wook

 

[safeboy43]

This piece of info is not researched but it is well known. I do know that the public opinion on Afghanistan dropped significantly because of the change. In Kabul, the soldiers (or "peacekeepers as they were called ) were doing mostly humanitarian assistance and rebuilding. After the switch to Kandahar (the Taliban hotbed), our troops were doing much more combat just to keep the enemy off our backs. The number of attacks increased dramatically and the casualties began to mount. This is when public opinion began to drop.

However, Woodilar is right. Much of the public does not know the difference between Kabul and Kandahar. In fact, some do not know the difference between Iraq and Afghanistan. These are usually the Left winged Liberals who have no respect for our military and what it does.

Hope this helps,
Twitch

PS- Sorry for the rant at the end

 

[armyvern]

After the switch to Kandahar (the Taliban hotbed), our troops were doing much more combat just to keep the enemy off our backs. The number of attacks increased dramatically and the casualties began to mount. This is when public opinion began to drop.

Agreed that this higher casualty rate in the south (and thus Khandahar) was the beginning of the decline in public opinion. Choose to disagree however on your reasoning for our becoming involved in more combat there however. Because the South is the home of the Taliban, this combat was and is necessary, not to keep them off our backs, but to gain the security and stability required so that those same efforts at reconstruction and rebuilding can occur there as well.

 

[safeboy43]

Agreed that this higher casualty rate in the south (and thus Khandahar) was the beginning of the decline in public opinion. Choose to disagree however on your reasoning for our becoming involved in more combat there however. Because the South is the home of the Taliban, this combat was and is necessary, not to keep them off our backs, but to gain the security and stability required so that those same efforts at reconstruction and rebuilding can occur there as well.

Of course

Twitch

 

[armyvern]

Of course

Twitch

Of course, it was just a typo wasn't it? 

 

[The Generals Son]

This piece of info is not researched but it is well known. I do know that the public opinion on Afghanistan dropped significantly because of the change. In Kabul, the soldiers (or "peacekeepers as they were called ) were doing mostly humanitarian assistance and rebuilding. After the switch to Kandahar (the Taliban hotbed), our troops were doing much more combat just to keep the enemy off our backs. The number of attacks increased dramatically and the casualties began to mount. This is when public opinion began to drop.

Which is why I'd like to ask:  What the heck is the difference?  Same county, small change.  Were our intentions in the country the same BEFORE and AFTER the transition?  Because from what I've found so far, the answer seems to be YES.

Also, casualties - I haven't reached this point of my research yet, however, can anyone confirm that the American death toll in Southern Afgh. was similar in numbers that our troops received since the transition? 

Good stuff, thx.

 

[armyvern]

Dad's Son,

I recommend that you visit Ruxted.ca as that site has many good arcticles pertaining to Afghanistan and the on-going mission and it's mis-conceptions.

 

[Danjanou]

Dad's Son,

I recommend that you visit Ruxted.ca as that site has many good arcticles pertaining to Afghanistan and the on-going mission and it's mis-conceptions.

Damn beat me to it (well she is the Librarian). Ruxted would be a good start point as it has links in most articles including to places with ahem contrary opinions such as the Canadian Peace Alliance.

 

[Buschgirl427]

Consider this though: The public opinion could be considered completely invalid because it is not authentic. Everything that the public is acknowledged about it is filtered by the Canadian information act. The government forces the people to only see what they want them to. These filters are television screens, radio airwaves, and internet signals which can intercept some significant facts. Those people who have actually been overseas, such as the soldiers, and some of the war correspondants, have first hand information, which is unfiltered, and ingrained in their memories.

 

[The Bread Guy]

As much wiser folks before me have said, Google can be your buddy....

Canadian Opinion Research Archive  (Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

Ipsos News Centre

EKOS Research Associates

"PUBLIC OPINION POLLING IN CANADA", Claude Emery, Political and Social Affairs Division, Library of Parliament, January 1994 (includes info on accuracy - or not - of public opinion results, and impact on policy)

"Management of Public Opinion Research", Office of the Auditor General of Canada, November 2003 (what kinda job Canada does managing public opinion research)

More specifically, click here  for Google search (Canadian sources only) "public opinion research Afghanistan"

Finally (blatant self-promotion warning), try here for various Cdn government and NGO/think tank policy information links.

Happy hunting, and let us know how the essay came out!