In chapter nine, Parenti discusses his journey in East Afghanistan in September 2006. When he was visiting Nangarhar, there was a severe drought, that the United Nations discovered four years prior to Parenti's visit. The wells running dry in Afghanistan had been "the most severe drought in living memory". Once again, climate change has been the root problem to many disasters in the world and is suggested to many reason why Afghanistan suffered one of it's most devastating droughts. In 2008, the British government had come together produce a statement and overall, consensus of what would happen to Afghanistan due to the climate change. Famine, lack of rain, lack of natural resources, and much more was endured by the people of Afghanistan. "British government researchers see a link between global warming and conflict in Afghanistan". Climate change has drastically been doing severe damages within the world and has immensely created chaos and destruction. Parenti describes all this as "the dialectical connection between climate change, war, and environmental degradation become mutually reinforcing".
Parenti begins chapter ten by stating the chaotic and raged state of people living in Kyrgyzstan because of huge price increase to communal services that included water and electricity. "The crowds, protesting price hikes soon turned into mobs and armed gangs and they attacked government buildings". All this commotion was occurring because the lack of resources, which ultimately was happening because of this issue of the climate change. President Bakiyev had to enforce army men into the streets to try and restore order and get the people under control. Parenti discusses how the continent of Asia became about it's ruins and terrible and constant wars with violence, drought, poverty, famine, etc. Finally in August of 2010, the climate began to shape up and water was blessed upon the lands of Afghanistan.
In chapter eleven, Parenti states the infamous truth about Pakistan and India being in continuous struggle. Water has been the main resource and is what both sides fight for, because water is basically a lifeline for their survival. With the climate change being so erratic, the effects of it has been devastating and has been increasing an enormous amount of sheer violence. Parenti states that "As climate change beings more extreme weather, monsoon disruptions, flooding, drought, and rapid glacial melting, it plays an ever-greater role in shaping the India-Pakistan conflict". With many factors playing a role into the sad wars of India-Pakistan, the reasons behind the wars have created a reasoning of "beliefs" "religion" "ethic" etc.
Chapter twelve, Parenti discusses the suffering of India's Deccan Plateau and how the farmers are greatly being hit hard by the declination of rain. "There is declining rain, and this affects yields, and the prices are still low," states Linga Reddy Sama, who is cotton farmer herself in the village of Jaamni. India ha always been know to suffer form poverty, especially with the climate change.
Quiz Question: What war with Pakistan is another country involved with?
Research Proposal: How can climate change be reduced to end this struggle with war and violence and dispair?
I find it interesting that you mention the reasons behind the India-Pakistan wars have created a reasoning of "beliefs", "religion", and "ethic". At first, I thought it was mainly climate change that influenced the wars, but stepping back and seeing the other reasons you have noted does make me reconsider. For years and years, they continue to fight over water and now I can see how other factors play into it than just global warming.
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