Blog #7: Cutting aid to Afghanistan will cripple the nation

Summary:
An Islamic report revealed that Afghanistan has reaped many benefits since troops have been there. They have experienced a substantial gain of education, almost half of the girls in Afghanistan are in school, whereas there was only 3% ten years ago. There has also been a rise in health. Contrary to the benefits that they have received, their aid has been drastically cut from $894 million to $508 million in two years. The progress that was made in the realm of education and health are threatened due to this significant amount of money being taken away. Islamic Relief’s Country Director of Afghanistan, Farzana Balooch, realizes that such cuts have resulted in a downhill motion regarding their economy, she also realizes that Afghanistan needs the continuous support of their international community to prevent further deterioration. The Islamic relief presents the argument that international aid should focus on basic needs such as health and food aid, and making sure that the people of Afghanistan continuously deliver and develop aid. The Ambassador of Afghanistan thanked the Islamic Relief report for back Afghanistan up, in an effort to keep receiving humanitarian support from international countries.


Analysis:
 It is good that Afghanistan has resulted in a significant amount of growth concerning their citizens, but is it really plausible for them to become so dependent on other countries to keep their people out of poverty? I believe that it is okay for them to receive any help that is given or to appreciate what they have gotten in past years as a result of troops being there, but it is not okay for them to make their international community feel even the slightest bit of obligation for not continuing to aid them as their need arises. Over the decade that Afghanistan was receiving support, it wouldn't be too far fetched for anyone to think that they would come up with a plan to try to support themselves, as their need should arise. Being dependent on another will never result in success, and this is why countries must always have alternative plans so they can take actions when they need to. As a result of not having an alternative plan to generate funds for themselves, Afghanistan faces the chance of their education growth deteriorating once again. Cutting the aid to Afghanistan will cripple their nation, but maybe the continuous aid that their international had been putting forth over the years has resulted in them experiencing a crippling in their nation. If the international community has resulted in a crippling, then this may have caused them to take a step back, and reevaluate where their funds need to be spent in the future, and once they get their budget in order again they will be able to reconsider helping Afghanistan again. But in the mean time, Afghanistan needs to be figuring out another way to keep their poverty level down and their education enrollment rate the way it is, if not even higher.

http://muslimvillage.com/2014/03/28/51657/islamic-relief-cutting-aid-to-afghanistan-will-cripple-the-nation/