English IV - JMBiddle
The Kite Runner
Who had control?
Name:
Date:
Directions: Read through the timelines. On a separate sheet of paper, create a flow chart showing
the movement of power/influence. Be sure to include the year(s) that it changed. Pay close
attention when you see these mentioned: Iran, Pakistan, the former USSR, Great Britain, the United
States and international organizations (UN and NATO). Attach your flow chart to this worksheet.
Directions: Answer the following questions using the timeline and your flow chart.
1. Do you see any patterns of influence upon Afghanistan? If so, what are they?
2. Based on what you have read, do you feel as though Afghanistan’s sovereignty was threatened by
external players? How?
3. In the film, Baba agreed with the radio announcer when he said “If they come, we will do what
Afghans have always done. We will fight. We defeated the armies of Alexander the Great, we
defeated the armies of Genghis Khan, we defeated the armies of the British Empire. And we will
defeat the Russians.” What do this quote and the timelines tell us about Afghanistan?
4. Do you feel as though human rights were threatened in Afghanistan as a result of external
influence? Cite specific examples from the film to support your answer.
5. Why do you think so many countries were interested in the outcome of Afghanistan? What could
have been the potential gains for them?
English IV - JMBiddle
6. How do you think the constant political turmoil in Afghanistan could have affected other things
such as access to water, food as well as other basic human rights? List at least five other human
rights that could have been affected due to the political dynamic.
8. Whose responsibility is it to protect nation-states whose borders are not sufficiently protected by
their own governments? (Example, the U.N., etc.)
9. What role could you as individuals play in ensuring the protection of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and
the prevention of human rights abuses in the country? List some possible steps that you could take.
(Example. Peaceful protests, etc.)
10. Do you feel as though any of the influencing groups had an undeniable reason or right to
challenge Afghanistan’s sovereignty? Why? Why not?
11. How do you think the different occupations have affected the Afghan society?
12. How could the ever-changing power-plays in Afghanistan as well as the lack of a strong Afghan
government have given way to a number of human rights abuses?