The war is over. After nine years, 157 deaths and $12.7 billion, Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan has come to an end and our fighting forces are coming home.
I feel very happy for the soldiers and their families who will be reunited but also very sad for all those, including the Afghani people, who will never see their loved ones again. Even our own hometown was touched by this tragedy.
Canadians are beginning to ask themselves if it was all worth it.
The answer to that question was being discussed the other day on a national call-in show and a surprising number of callers expressed heartfelt Canadian pride in our soldiers’ ability to kick Taliban butt. I thought I was listening to Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry.
According to these enthusiastic armchair generals Canada has earned a place with the big boys and the reputation of our troops has been restored on the world stage or more precisely, in the Theatre of War. We can hold our own, even with the greatest fighting force in the world – the American military machine.
For this reason alone, the mission was worth every sacrifice, according to some patriotic Canadians. The Taliban will think twice before they invade our country.
Is that what this war was all about? Were all those young lives sacrificed just to prove that Canada is willing to pay the price? Were we in Afghanistan on a double dog dare?
Some may share this burst of Rambo-style macho pride but the majority of Canadians have been questioning this mission right from the start.
When the Canadian government agreed to join the NATO security force in Afghanistan it was in response to George Bush’s wild west challenge, “You’re either with us or against us.”
He was trying to build a coalition of the willing but in Canada’s case it was a coalition of the reluctant, at best. Now, after almost a decade of conflict the situation remains “mission unaccomplished.”
Our stated objectives were increased security for citizens, a kickstart for economic development and better governance for the Afghani people.
Thousands of innocent Afghani citizens have been killed, maimed, tortured and orphaned. Homes and families have been destroyed and farms have been turned into battlefields.
Afghanistan remains one of the poorest and most corrupt countries.
For their part Canadians also have a toll to pay for nine years of war. In addition to the death, injury and a huge waste of public funds we must now deal with cynicism, lies and false promises in the face of low public support for armed conflict.
Most Canadians don’t talk much about foreign policy. Just like many other important decisions we leave that to our elected politicians. We prefer to lead very sheltered lives.
That may have to change unless we like our new “bad boy” reputation.
I am a member of a generation that has never really faced the tragedy of war, except on TV. When we grew up the Second World War was a distant memory. We had nothing to worry about.
Later, the Vietnam War was a horror show but only for those who were actually there or those who watched it on the six o’clock news.
Canada was a peaceful nation in those days. We welcomed American draft dodgers and protested the war.
Even now after nine years of war most Canadians never give Afghanistan much thought. We knew soldiers were fighting and dying because we saw their flag-draped coffins on The National. For most, that was as close as they ever wanted to be.
But lately it seems like Canada is itching for a fight. We first went to Afghanistan as part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. It was done to appease Americans without going to Iraq.
And now that they’ve had a chance to flex some military muscle our political masters are continuing on that path. Canadian pilots and planes are now patrolling over Libya. Our armed forces continue to be a pair of hands for the Bush doctrine.
As a nation, we are in a good position to influence world events. We can continue to impose our strong will by deadly force or lead by the example of great Canadian peacemakers like Lester Pearson.
Are we looking to win another Nobel Peace Prize or are we just looking for another prize fight?
As peace-loving Canadians we need to decide which is more worthwhile.
I feel very happy for the soldiers and their families who will be reunited but also very sad for all those, including the Afghani people, who will never see their loved ones again. Even our own hometown was touched by this tragedy.
Canadians are beginning to ask themselves if it was all worth it.
The answer to that question was being discussed the other day on a national call-in show and a surprising number of callers expressed heartfelt Canadian pride in our soldiers’ ability to kick Taliban butt. I thought I was listening to Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry.
According to these enthusiastic armchair generals Canada has earned a place with the big boys and the reputation of our troops has been restored on the world stage or more precisely, in the Theatre of War. We can hold our own, even with the greatest fighting force in the world – the American military machine.
For this reason alone, the mission was worth every sacrifice, according to some patriotic Canadians. The Taliban will think twice before they invade our country.
Is that what this war was all about? Were all those young lives sacrificed just to prove that Canada is willing to pay the price? Were we in Afghanistan on a double dog dare?
Some may share this burst of Rambo-style macho pride but the majority of Canadians have been questioning this mission right from the start.
When the Canadian government agreed to join the NATO security force in Afghanistan it was in response to George Bush’s wild west challenge, “You’re either with us or against us.”
He was trying to build a coalition of the willing but in Canada’s case it was a coalition of the reluctant, at best. Now, after almost a decade of conflict the situation remains “mission unaccomplished.”
Our stated objectives were increased security for citizens, a kickstart for economic development and better governance for the Afghani people.
Thousands of innocent Afghani citizens have been killed, maimed, tortured and orphaned. Homes and families have been destroyed and farms have been turned into battlefields.
Afghanistan remains one of the poorest and most corrupt countries.
For their part Canadians also have a toll to pay for nine years of war. In addition to the death, injury and a huge waste of public funds we must now deal with cynicism, lies and false promises in the face of low public support for armed conflict.
Most Canadians don’t talk much about foreign policy. Just like many other important decisions we leave that to our elected politicians. We prefer to lead very sheltered lives.
That may have to change unless we like our new “bad boy” reputation.
I am a member of a generation that has never really faced the tragedy of war, except on TV. When we grew up the Second World War was a distant memory. We had nothing to worry about.
Later, the Vietnam War was a horror show but only for those who were actually there or those who watched it on the six o’clock news.
Canada was a peaceful nation in those days. We welcomed American draft dodgers and protested the war.
Even now after nine years of war most Canadians never give Afghanistan much thought. We knew soldiers were fighting and dying because we saw their flag-draped coffins on The National. For most, that was as close as they ever wanted to be.
But lately it seems like Canada is itching for a fight. We first went to Afghanistan as part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. It was done to appease Americans without going to Iraq.
And now that they’ve had a chance to flex some military muscle our political masters are continuing on that path. Canadian pilots and planes are now patrolling over Libya. Our armed forces continue to be a pair of hands for the Bush doctrine.
As a nation, we are in a good position to influence world events. We can continue to impose our strong will by deadly force or lead by the example of great Canadian peacemakers like Lester Pearson.
Are we looking to win another Nobel Peace Prize or are we just looking for another prize fight?
As peace-loving Canadians we need to decide which is more worthwhile.
