Afghan stability allows the US to maintain a foothold in the region and deter future growth of terrorist organizations.
Rhinefield 6(Jeffrey, Lieutenant, United States Navy M.A. in National Security Affairs “IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIETAL FRAGMENTATION FOR STATE FORMATION: CAN DEMOCRACY SUCCEED IN AFGHANISTAN?” Pg 89-90)AQB
Close ties with Afghanistan also allows the United States to maintain a foothold in a region it historically has not had direct access to. Afghanistan allows the United States to contain the nuclear powers in the region, mainly India, Pakistan, China, and possibly Iran, in the future.260 In addition, the Global War on Terror and the ability of American forces to be stationed in friendly Afghanistan has allowed the United States to contain Russia in the region and increase its influence over the Central Asian Republics.261 A successful Afghan government is imperative for the United States in order to maintain its presence in the region. A democratic Afghanistan can be an example for the Iranian people, as well as the people of Iraq, who are undergoing the same struggle in facing ethnic and religious differences in hopes of creating a democratic and all encompassing government. A failed Afghan government that slips back into lawlessness would mean the United States would have to increase its presence in the region and double its efforts in trying to stop the creation of new and more dangerous anti-Western and anti-American terrorist organizations. More than any other country involved in the region, the United States needs Afghanistan to succeed in its efforts to form a cohesive and strong central government that would allow for the full participation of the Afghan people in the government that would allow for the full participation of the Afghan people in the political process, as well as be able to maintain control over the war-torn state.
Afghan Instability Solves Central Asia War
Afghan stability key to deterring Central Asian conflict
Weinbaum 6 [Marvin, June, Scholar-in-Residence, Middle East Institute http://www.usip.org/resources/afghanistan-and-its-neighbors-ever-dangerous-neighborhood]
The study posits that over much of the last four years Afghanistan's neighbors have assessed that support for a stable, independent, and economically strengthening Afghan state is preferable to any achievable alternatives. None have directly opposed the internationally approved Hamid Karzai as president or seriously tried to manipulate Afghan domestic politics. All have pledged, moreover, some measure of development assistance. Undoubtedly, the presence of foreign military forces and international attention has contributed to their restrained policies. The strategic approaches to Afghanistan by its neighbors are, however, always subject to readjustment. No regional state is prepared to allow another to gain a preponderance of influence in Afghanistan. Moreover, each retains links to client networks that are capable of fractionalizing and incapacitating an emerging Afghanistan. States in the neighborhood may well sponsor destabilizing forces in the event that Kabul governments fail over time to extend their authority and tangibly improve people's lives, or should Afghanistan's international benefactors lose their patience and interest. More immediately, as described below, political currents in several regional countries may be overtaking the economic forces on which more optimistic projections for regional cooperation have been based. Poorly considered policies by international aid givers and the Kabul government have in some cases helped to increase suspicions and tensions with neighbors.
Afghan Instability Turns Terrorism/Nuclear War/US Heg
Afghanistan instability leads to terrorism, nuclear attacks and loss of US leadership
Engelhardt 9 [Tom, Founder of the American Empire Project , October 4, Asian Times, http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KK04Df01.html]
Now, Afghanistan has become the first domino of our era, and the rest of the falling dominos in the 21st century are, of course, the terrorist attacks to come, once an emboldened al-Qaeda has its "safe haven" and its triumph in the backlands of that country. In other words, first Afghanistan, then Pakistan, then a mushroom cloud over an American city. In both the Vietnam era and today, Washington has also been mesmerized by that supposedly key currency of international stature, "credibility".
Continued Afghan instability prompts Iranian nuclearization
Foer 4 [Frank, Senior Editor of the New York Times December 14, The Bellow http://bellows.blogspot.com/2004_12_12_archive.html]
There are several points worth making on the Iranian situation. First, wouldn't it have been nice if we'd paid some attention to this crisis in the making? Second, trouble in Iran is collateral damage in the continuing Iraq insurgency (and in continuing Afghanistan instability). How much stronger would our position be if we'd taken Iraq with appropriate strength and quickly pacified the country. With decisive victories in Iraq and Afghanistan we have Iran surrounded, both by democracies and by victorious troops. Instead, Iran has the option of assisting the insurgents, nickel and diming our troops to death, and diminishing everyday the will of Americans to take on another military venture should one prove desirable but not absolutely necessary. What do we do? Having put ourselves in this situation, I think the best solution is diplomatic. Not only is invading off the table, but from the sound of things a tactical strike against Iran's nuclear facilities would also have more costs than benefits. It seems to me we should work with Europe, and perhaps try to win assistance from Russia or China, to stall Iran's nuclear development as long as possible, and shine an international light on opposition crackdowns. In the meantime, we need to throw everything we have into establishing safe, prosperous, and secure nations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The longer a power vacuum persists in those regions, and the stronger Iran is allowed to become, the more we invite Iran to directly assert its influence, a move that could have catastrophic effects.
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