Afghanistan...Spinning Doesn't Move us Forward

Listening to some of what these two had to say today, it's clear that the war being fought in Afghanistan is a political "tool" for the con's. Do all parties try to capitalise on it? Yes, but who is actually getting the facts and looking at this situation as it deserves to be studied?

The NDP are completely off the mark. They do nothing more than react to polls and have designed their unachievable goal based on little else. The party that claims its concern is human rights, is prepared to stop defending them in Afghanistan by pulling our troops out, now, with no reasonable strategy to keep those who are attacking those very rights at bay.

That said, I think the war in the south is largely a vicious circle. There is an unending supply of sympathisers coming over the border of Pakistan and that's growing. That tells me our approach is wrong and it must be re-thought.

Bernier and Oda, good grief, completely out of touch, as is this current government with most things.

“The territory is more secure today here in Kandahar than it was a year ago,” he said.
Last year there were many attacks, he added.
“Those attacks have diminished,” Mr. Bernier said. “It's still difficult. I saw that it's still difficult. But the situation has greatly improved.”
A recent review by the UN Department of Safety and Security described the situation in Kandahar as “volatile.”
Across the country, 2007 has been the bloodiest year since the Taliban was ousted from power in a U.S. invasion six years ago.
So far this year, there have been an average of 525 violent incidents a month, compared with 425 last year.

It's one thing to lie to Canadians, as they do daily, but it's quite another to say these false statements in the country that is living, day to day, with the reality. When confronted by the local press in Afghanistan, who asked about recent attacks in Kabul, one for instance that occurred as they arrived, they continued to say, Afghanistan is safer. Evidence speaks to the contrary, but why get mired in fact?

Everyone and everything, tells us what is true, but the con's deny truth, as is their want. The Conservatives may want to push water uphill, but the debate, the real debate is of course being missed. Are we serious about helping this country? Are we serious about protecting rights and most basically, do we really understand what the people want?

The south of Afghanistan is quite tribal. Many are not interested in a democracy. Is our aim to convert them? If that is the case, we'll be there a very long time. The fact that we respect "our system", is obviously not enough to convince those who reject it. So, are we keeping out, or pushing back, the very people who the inhabitants want? Agree or disagree with that particular desire, (you do remember Imperialsim), how does democracy play out in this scenario? We are forcing many to adopt what they don't know and therefore don't want.

I do think our forces are good at PR. I think we far excel the US, but I don't think they have enough support with them, literal support, non military people with them.

Have you heard of Turquoise Mountain? A simple approach, no? Pride.

What we are doing is telling some that they mean nothing, their opinion means nothing, their history, their culture. Think about that at home. Think about how we are now making reparations to our native groups. Think people.

We are doing this wrong and the con's, as this article points out, are using this war in the most despicable way.

But the government seems to be pushing its own agenda and not listening to Canadians who want answers, said Francisco Juarez, a former military reservist who refused to serve in Afghanistan and now is active in the peace movement.
Juarez said what started as a mission ostensibly launched on humanitarian grounds and to protect national security interests has morphed into a war designed to retool the Canadian military and serve national economic interest instead.

As is said, this has become about Canada, not Afghanistan. This is the brilliant statement that came from Bernier's mouth today.

“John F. Kennedy said to the Americans: ‘Don't ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,”' Mr. Bernier said.
“Now, today, I'm asking Canadians, ‘Don't ask the Afghan government what it can do for us in Canada, but what we Canadians can do for the Afghan people.”'

Sir, all I can say is, "You are no Jack Kennedy". Nor is your leader and the sooner Canadians realise your deceitful stance, the better.