Canada, time to grow a pair
The United States is urging Canada to stay in Afghanistan, going so far as to publicly plead with Canadian officials. The planned withdrawal for 2011 even has the families of deceased soldiers calling for Canada to remain committed. They have a difficult task ahead if they wish to win over public support, the same public who is vehemently calling for our troops to come home. The war is lost, there is no hope of ever "winning", time to pack it in and call it a day.
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Canadian soldiers have sacrificed enough for this stupid war on terror, a war that can never be won. How does one win a war against an ideology and no clear army? Terrorism will never be eradicated and with each Afghani death, a new breed of hatred is born continuing the cycle. My beliefs may piss others off, but what are we accomplishing there? Humanitarian democracy in the veil of death? I don't blame our soldiers one bit, after all they are following orders, I blame the Liberals and the cons for licking the boots of the US. This wasn't and never should have been our war. This war isn't like the wars of the past, the wars that brought our nation together. This war for some reason or another has not sat well with Canadians. They're tired of seeing our men and women coming home in flag draped coffins and seeing the processions on the highway of heroes. There is no glory in war and this one is no exception.
This war on terror has not only affected those abroad, here at home we are subjected to ridiculous security screenings and other measures to "keep us safe and secure". Many Canadians have even stopped traveling to the US because of their paranoid ways. Not a day goes by without hearing the words terrorist or security. A whole new generation of children will grow up to be afraid and paranoid that someone, somewhere is out to get them and that it is for their own good that they themselves be treated like criminals in order to keep society safe. I am no terrorist sympathizer but if they want to do their thing, they will find a way to do it and the honest truth is that heightened security means nothing.
Back to the point of this post;the United States should keep quiet and mind their business, unless of course they wish to relax their stupid rules on us Canadians when it comes to visiting their country. If our government made a commitment to our troops that they would be coming home next year, then they should just accept that. A sovereign nation has made a decision and they, the States, should respect that, as should the families of the deceased. In short, we don't get our marching orders from the US war machine or from the families of deceased soldiers. As much as they feel that their loved ones were doing good, there is no good being done there. The people of Afghanistan don't want us there, they don't want our help so what is the point in staying? To satisfy the USA?
For some reason, I have a feeling that Harper will cave and our troops will be staying. The US will no doubt be putting the pressure on Canada and in typical Canadian fashion, I am afraid we will give in. Just wait and see.
| Print article | This entry was posted by zerodivision on 04/03/10 at 09:10:26 pm . Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. |
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04/04/10 @ 05:59:01 pm
This article is nothing but a bunch of crap.Who the hell are these clowns to say that the war is lost and is unwindable.This is not a stupid war on terror, but a war that the terrorists started.Seems some have forgotten 9-11 and the almost 3 thousand innocent people who were murdered.Our troops believe in this mission.Our brave Canadian men and women go back for 2-3 terms of service because they believe in what they are doing.People who write articles like this haven't got a clue as to what they are talking about.We are there because we need to be there.I think that our government is making a big mistake by pulling our troops out in 2011.We need to stay until the job is done.Those that have been there have said the same thing.
A Proud Canadian Who Supports Our Troops and the Mission, because I understand why we are there..
04/04/10 @ 08:51:28 pm
What do you expect the soldiers to do? Of course they are going to believe in what they are doing, if not then they would be better off in another career. It is a war on terror as has been espoused to the masses since day one. Explain how it is winnable please. How long do we need to be there before it is won? 10 years, 20 years, 50? When does it end? Never because as I pointed out each child who loses a parent, whether it be a terrorist or a civilian will now burn with their own hatred and the cycle will continue.
3000 innocent people murdered and countless more since the war began all in the name of bringing democracy to a country that has never lost a war, ever. Your patriotism has blinded you and you are thinking with your heart rather than your head. This war is unsustainable for Canada, full stop.
Canadian troops have paid a heavy price for a war that we had no business being in. Please explain why we need to be there? Please explain how it will be paid for and how they will keep their equipment up and running.
I just don't think that you honestly know why we are there.
04/06/10 @ 06:13:20 am
Let me start by saying that I spent over two decades wearing green for Canada.
Afghanistan is an unwinnable war.
Having said that, I have to ask why are we there? The whole thing started out as a search for Bin Laden. It was sold as a war on terrorism. Since 9-11 we have failed to locate him and our presence has been spun into a war against the Taliban insurgents while we prop up W's boy in Kabul.
Afghanistan is unwinnable in terms of the methods by which the war is being fought and is along the lines of the American efforts in Viet Nam...or the Soviet efforts in Afghanistan. The Americans want us to stay in Afghanistan because they have no exit strategy themselves. As lon as the critical mass is moving in the same direction they see no reason to stop that. The American reasons for being in the country are much different than ours. Even the British are getting out.
However, on the civil side, Canada and Canadian efforts are doing a very good and needed job of creating infastructure for the betterment of the Afghani peoples. But none of their accomplishments could have been done under the Taliban. However, it will be for naught as the Afghani's are not suited, nor do they want to, adopt a Western methodology or mentality.
Time to pull pole.
04/06/10 @ 11:48:36 am
Excellent response LOS, glad to see even a former soldier can see that this is an unwinnable war. It bothers me how so many people think that just because you are against them being there, that you don't support the troops. It isn't so black and white. My grandfather was in WWII, my brother was in the army reserves, I myself tried to join but was unable to do so, so it isn't as if I am anti military. This battle isn't ours and to see that story in the star about the reservist who was just denied his 4th tour and is miffed about it makes me wonder what kind of conditioning is going on over there.
We've paid a price, as is expected in this type of work but enough is enough.
04/06/10 @ 02:53:02 pm
zero - I don't think it is a matter of conditioning. Soldiers endure extensive training with the goal of using that training. You've heard of "Peace Through Superior Firepower". It used to be that the build up of armies was deterrent enough to prevent wars. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain bush fire wars have broken out everywhere and there is more opportunity for Canada's soldiers to participate on the sharp end than ever before.
It's not particularly enjoyable to train without opportunity to test one's self under fire. Canada's soldiers are no different to want to present themselves on the world stage and do a good job. And they are doing a good job in Afghanistan. No one should represent the pull out as a reflection of a bad performance.
But they are fighting an unconventional war in a conventional way. The US tried this in Viet Nam by trying to win the Hearts and Minds, but it just wasn't effective when the NVA and Viet Cong were using guerrila tactics. The Americans won the set piece battles but lost the covert war; and as a result began to lose the media war at home. The same is happening in Afghanistan despite the best efforts of the troops on the ground. History repeats itself for those who don't learn from it.
The lack of progress, in a military sense, is not a reflection on the troops, who have done everything and more than has been asked of them. The generals have not conducted the war in a winnable manner, partially because the Canadian civilian would not accept nor understand the means that would produce a successful result.
As a result the troops are treading water and, as such, no more Canadian blood should be spilled in vain.
04/06/10 @ 03:04:13 pm
But one must ask, why would a soldier who has completed 3 tours already want to go back, especially with a young family at home? I understand they are doing what they believe in but one must seriously question if it is worth it the way it is. An unconventional war cannot be fought this way, it will never work as you and i stated, but for some reason people want to believe that what they are doing is working. This isn't Hitler invading countries, it's a war fought against people who don't want the forces there.
There is no way to be successful, even a full out nuclear bomb wouldn't end it. I knew from day one that we had no chance, you can't fight the enemy when you don't know who they are and when they use unconventional means. It's a stupid war, and I don't know why some people can't understand that. Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks it.
04/06/10 @ 07:37:21 pm
That question is best answered by the person themselves.
Altruistically he may be a patriot who places King and Country above personal well being. My Grandfather was like that. He left home in 1908, at the age of 16 and joined the British Army. He was a double Distinguished Conduct Medal winner in the First World War. After migrating to Canada he raised a young family on the harsh Canadian prairie until the outbreak of WWII. He was one of the first to volunteer when the Regina Rifles mobilized although he was "over aged".
Or the person in question may have a less than exciting life flipping burgers with a nagging wife and whining kid at home. Even Afghanistan is better than that.
Then you have all possibilities in between.
Who knows?
The troops will do what they are told. If it's to deploy to the sandbox then that's where they'll go. If it's to pull out, then they will do so. In either case they will perform their duties with the utmost of professionalism whether they be Regular or Reserve. It is not for the soldier to question the order, however that is not to say they are unthinking. I'm sure there is as much moaning and bitching today as when I was in, maybe more. But when it comes to carrying out their task they will do so to the furthest extent of their training and abilities.
They don't worry about the geo-political intricacies.