Afghanistan SpeakFree-for-all

We didn't start it, but we'll finish it

Nobody likes to see soldiers die in any situation. It’s sad fact that human nature will not allow us to live out our lives in

peace and harmony. However, Canadian soldiers are just that- “soldiers”. Many other countries around the world have committed their troops to peacekeeping and humanitarian missions around the world, but I don’t hear the Dutch calling their air force the “Peacekeeping Air Force” or I don’t read the Australians calling their army the “The Peacekeeping Army”.

However, we do it in Canada. Why? Just where did this image come from anyway? Soldiers carry weapons and they use them. To think for one moment that our men and women in uniform were to be spared the trials and punishment of war while serving in Afghanistan is both naïve and unrealistic. I personally expected to see many more casualties by now and I’m rather surprised (and very relieved) at what most would consider to a light casualty rate of our service people.

9/11 showed us all too well that none of us living in the western world are safe from religious extremism. There have now even been arrests on our home soil. Although all the facts are not in yet and I don’t like to comment on any subject until I’m comfortable that I have read about it from all sides, it does appear that someone was planning a massive attack within Canada. Was it because of our involvement in Afghanistan? Probably yes (it has been mentioned in the press). But please allow me to ask one question:

If our mission there was so moral and correct before the very recent offences that have been initiated by our military (an operation that spurred the Jeremy Bradley article “Canada's deadly mission in Afghanistan” on June 14, 2006)… then what was the problem with these alleged terrorists? If we’re so damn great, then why the planned attack?

The truth is that ordinary Canadian people on the street are just plain illinformed and ignorant. (If you don’t believe me, ask 10 people to spell Afghanistan and see what result you get. You’ll be spellbound, (pardon the pun…I couldn’t resist). People within Canada have a regional view of the world and we spend too much time worrying about how the rest of the world views us. We as Canadians are NOT on any moral high ground and we should stop trying to convince ourselves that we are.

Our military history is just as terrible and bloody as anyone else on this planet and although engaging in warfare is a part of our history (The Bore war, WWI, WWII and The Korea conflict), we Canadians have always respected and appreciated our military history.

I believe that your facts are a bit screwed up and I would challenge to look into the mission parameters of the Canadians troops serving in Afghanistan a little further. This was never a “peacekeeping” operation. Like it or not, it’s a tactical military combat and occupation operation and people are going to die. That’s what war is all about: killing and taking ground. That’s what Canadian soldiers do. They train hard at it and, historically speaking, they’re pretty good at it.

But remember, we didn’t start this fight. The Taliban government which offered support and sanctuary to Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida group found itself in the crosshairs of the western world after 9/11. A shocking attack, the likes of which had not been suffered by the American people since the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941.

I feel that going into Afghanistan was regrettable, but world opinion demanded that America and the rest of the world do something. Canada offered assistance and America accepted. I’m personally proud of this effort and I believe in our military to try and do the right thing.

But again, I’m a realist. I know what happens when people start shooting at each other. You should too. People are going to die. Sad, but true. But don’t blame Prime Minister Harper, don’t blame George Bush, don’t blame Jean Chretien. Don’t blame anyone except Osama bin Laden for all this crap. He started it. We’ll finish it.

-Eric. Canadian residing in Sydney, Australia