Military Conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan Questions: Be Informed, Speak Up, Act Lesson Plan (Grades 6–8)

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1. U.S. military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan may cost between 1.2 and 1.7 trillion dollars by 2017, according to the Congressional Budget Office. These conflicts are major defense policy issues for the United States. Policymakers and members of the public disagree as to how to end United States involvement in Iraq and how to address the conflict in Afghanistan.

How should the United States government address the war in Iraq and the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan?

• Describe several different policy perspectives toward these issues.
  
  
• Should policymakers take the cost of the conflicts into consideration when deciding to increase or decrease U.S. military involvement in these regions? If so, why? If not, why not?
  
  
• If the United States did not have to spend additional money for the war in Iraq, how would you recommend that the U.S. spend this money?
  
  
• Has U.S. engagement in Iraq or Afghanistan affected your local community? If so, how?

2. The issue of the war in Iraq is not only a concern to the United States, but also to the rest of the world. Other nations have differing views on the war.

How does the war affect the way the U.S. gets along with other nations?

• How does the war in Iraq affect the way the U.S. gets along with the rest of the world? Is this issue important? Why or why not?
  
  
• Describe several different perspectives from other countries on U.S. involvement in the war in Iraq.
  
  
• Is U.S. foreign policy an important concern in your community?
  
  
• How does U.S. foreign policy affect your local community?

Glossary

Engagement: interacting with (Military engagement means that the military is present in another country.)

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