Afghanistan Is Important for Canada

Since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Canada has lost 60 of our troops with some 270 injured. This has made the war very unpopular in Canadians' minds. However, I think we're doing pretty good. Canada's finest hour in military history, D-Day back in 1944 saw 340 Canadian troops die in a single day with 739 injured in action. That's almost six times the number of losses in a day than Canada has lost in six years. Of course I'm not trying to make 60 dead seem unimportant. One death is too many but this is war and death is something that cannot be avoided.

Our efforts in Afghanistan somewhat mirror what was done in WW2. For starters, we were not the aggressors in this war, unlike the US in Iraq, which is what Afghanistan is frequently being compared to lately. Innocent Canadians died when Taliban supported terrorists figured it would be a good idea to slam a couple planes into buildings. Though it started as a war to catch Bin Laden, it has become a war of liberation, and it has severely weakened Al-Qaida's capabilities. Despite what the majority of Canadians think, life is beginning to improve for the Afghan people. For the first time in decades, women are allowed to get an education and hold jobs. I think the major problem is people expect dramatic changes overnight and when that doesn't happen, they oppose the situation. It is madness to think that way. The combat deaths echo this as all people see is a slow moving situation and begin to think about how many more are going to die. You can't think that way. We need to consider whether or not their deaths meant something, which in my opinion they have. The Afghani people and their government want us there. To leave now would be abandoning them, which is irresponsible and inhumane. So often are societies defined by combat, and Canada is no exception. WW1 established us as a nation, WW2 established us as a force in the world, and Afghanistan establishes us as a nation trying to make a difference. By the simple fact that we are making a difference to improve their lives is a sign that we are winning this war.

Which brings me to the case of liberal hypocrisy and comparisons to Iraq. The Liberal Party has turned Harper into an almost Nixon like figure in the case of Afghanistan. Chiding the Harper government into keeping the troops there. However, it was the Liberals' decision under Cretien to send them there in the first place. So they're basically making Harper accountable for something they did, something they certainly didn't see as a mistake when they were in office. Something they defended while they were in office. This exposes a major flaw with the way our parliament operates. That is that governments are no longer responsible for their actions once they leave office, and can even have the balls to attack another government for something they did. It's pure hypocrisy what the Dion Liberals are doing. Is the Liberals had an ounce of honor, they'd at least stand by their decisions; or at the very least hold civilized discussions rather than shouting and screaming hypocrisy in the Commons.

Then there's the third side of the issue. The Socialists. Namely the NDP. The NDP has never been in support of the mission since they are an anti-war party. That is their choice obviously, yet they have been trying to force their position on others. To them, this is Vietnam. The recent actions of Toronto's city council is a sign of this. There is a non-political, multi-partisan campaign right now to support our troops. The basic action is letting them know we're thinking of them. Support is shown by attaching a yellow ribbon to one's clothing or vehicle. Toronto emergency service workers had attached these ribbons to their vehicles. To them, the troops are their brothers. It hits especially close to home when so many emergency service workers died in the opening battle of this war on 9/11. Everything was just peachy until some smart mouthed Toronto councilor demanded the ribbons be removed stating that they were a political statement in favour of the war. They obviously weren't, but it is highly likely that they would have been forced to remove them had three of our soldiers not have been killed that day. The decision to put up the stickers on emergency vehicles wasn't politically motivated, but the decision to remove them clearly was. The rhetoric was definitive, Toronto city council does not support the war and that's why they wanted them removed. Even if emergency workers were making a political statement, it shouldn't have mattered because they are Canadian citizens and should be entitled to the same freedom to express their beliefs as all other Canadians enjoy. This was a shameful and cowardly act on behalf of the NDP. If they have a problem with the way, they should hold peaceful protests or debate it in the Commons. Don't force your beliefs on others. Afghanistan is not Vietnam.