Kandahar Side Show
Well, are we in or out? There for the duration, for good or ill, and hoping desperately for the best? Along with our comrades-in-arms? One for all and all for Afghanistan! Well, France, under her new President Nicolas Sarkozy has stepped up to the plate with a more reliable and larger presence. She now has French fighter jets ready to scramble around Kandahar.Canadian troops, alongside those of the Dutch, British, Americans, Australians and Romanians are stationed in the most trouble-prone province of Afghanistan, in direct contact with resurgent Taliban, and under frequent attack. More susceptible to IEDs impacting brutally and mortally on NATO troops. Everyone is keen on reconstruction, on training the new conscripts for the Afghan Army.
Without pacification there is little possibility of reconstruction. Taliban still come in under cover of darkness to destroy newly-built civic buildings, particularly clinics and modest school buildings. They murder teachers, and they murder children eager to learn in these schools which at one time would not admit Afghan girls to be educated.
In Canada, just as there is in other NATO-affiliated countries which have committed troops to Afghanistan, there is much despair over the deaths of too many of our soldiers. Canadians are left unresolved about our role in the country. They are convinced to some degree that our presence there is a valuable asset to the future of the country.
They worry that the sacrifice by Canadians is too steep a price to pay for the stabilization and humanization of a country so geographically removed from North America. The current government of Canada is committed to an ongoing presence until the government of Afghanistan, its justice system, its policing agencies, its military, is deemed capable of independent defence.
The political opposition parties in Canada itself deem otherwise, preferring what they consider the 'traditional' role of Canadian troops be manifest - peacekeeping. However, there can be no peace to keep until and unless ruthless fanatics intent on jihad and instituting a radical Islamist rule rather than a Democratic one are completely displaced, disarmed and disabled.
This political jousting and polarization is taking place during a time of a government minority, with the possibility of an election being called on the near horizon. Giving a perfect opportunity to revolving-door photo opportunities for home consumption to take place, with both government and opposition delegates travelling to Afghanistan to mouth their important pronouncements and to be seen in support of the troops.
While either, depending on the political representation, supporting the mission, or decrying the mission. How like politicians.
How tendentiously adolescent.
Labels: Political Realities, World Crises
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, October 09, 2007
<< Home