Afghanistan: Bring Our Canadian Troops Home Now

It was revealed last week that Canadian troops in Afghanistan could remain there for as long as 10 years as part of the NATO commitment to finish what the coalition of the willing started following the 9/11 attack.

Following a call for debate and vote in the House of Commons to determine the future of Canada's military in Afghanistan, today Canada's new Conservative Foreign Affairs minister, Peter McKay said:

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay says a parliamentary vote on Canada's participation in Afghanistan could undercut troops serving in the war-ravaged nation.

Now, where have I heard that before? It's exactly the same line touted by supporters of the Iraq war in the United States government and it's just plain wrong-headed.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with members of Parliament representing their constituents in a vigorous debate over the future of our troops. That one postulates that it will deflate morale when the troops themselves need to know what their future will be is just preposterous. This is the same attitude that says, "if you don't support the war, you don't support the troops". We all know that is untrue and is just a way to attempt to guilt and shame citizens who demand that their government exercise proper oversight of the military and its missions.

I do not support the war in Afghanistan and haven't since day one. I'm anti-war. As far as I'm concerned, the fact that the Taliban government supported al Quaeda was not a justification for war. Other governments similarly supported the terrorists and were not attacked. And, where are we now - all of these years later? Opium drives a huge percentage of the economy. Terrorists and warlords run different parts of the country. Afghanis and soldiers are killed every day. Prisoners are being tortured in the Bagram detention facility. The US bailed en masse to take on the illegal war in Iraq - this war in Afghanistan was their war, not Canada's. The Afghanistan war continues with absolutely no end in sight. Yet, Canada's parliament shouldn't be debating the issues?

I support Canadian troops as peacekeepers. That's what they do best and they do it well. This protracted mission in Afghanistan is not a peacekeeping mission. It is direct involvement in a war that never should have been waged in the first place.

The former Liberal government was dead wrong to join the coalition and the new Conservative government would rather keep our soldiers in harm's way than discussing their future. What's wrong with this picture? This is not my Canada.