Afstan: how soon the Globe's Jeffrey Simpson forgets
That this is Canada's second combat mission at Kandahar.
The North American goal [of the current Kandahar mission] is political: to show the U.S. that, despite Canada's refusal to participate in the Iraq invasion, the country is committed to the "war" on terror. Canada went to Afghanistan initially for that very reason: to provide political cover for the Iraq refusal.
Dead wrong. The first Canadian mission to Afghanistan (in fact a combat battle group at Kandahar) was Operation APOLLO from February to July 2002. This was part of the US-led coaltion's effort to rid the country of al Qaeda and the Taliban; it had nothing to do with Iraq.
Prime Minister Chretien did however commit Canadian troops to Afghanistan again (what became Operation ATHENA at Kabul) in early 2003 precisely to avoid Canada's having any troops available for Iraq just in case the UN Security Council approved an attack on that country. It is also worth noting that both of these troop commitments were made without a vote in the House of Commons.
Mr Simpson does reach the right conclusion:
The best that can be reasonably expected over the medium term is not that Afghanistan will turn into some kind of liberal democracy but that it will not revert to Taliban theocracy.
Such a reversion would indeed be a threat, as it was before, to international stability and Western interests and, as such, would be worth trying to prevent -- even if it leads Canadians into a hydra-headed mission that will bring more casualties and nasty surprises.
Another point. The historical memory of our media generally is dismal. Many are saying that the current mission at Kandahar is the Canadian Army's first major combat operation since the Korean War. Again this ignores the first Kandahar mission.
Also worth pointing out, although the media do not. Just like Korea, all Canadian military operations in Afstan have been authorized by the UN Security Council.
Update: Saw Jumpin' Jack Layton interviewed by Nancy Wilson on Newsworld. He stated (just like Mr Simpson) that this was Canada's first combat mission in Afstan; he also stated that the nature of the mission at Kandahar had changed during the election campaign (nonsense--the mission was fully described by National Defence Minister Graham in the fall of 2005). Both wrong and Ms Wilson failed to call him on either. Bozos everywhere.
Cross-posted to Daimnation!
The North American goal [of the current Kandahar mission] is political: to show the U.S. that, despite Canada's refusal to participate in the Iraq invasion, the country is committed to the "war" on terror. Canada went to Afghanistan initially for that very reason: to provide political cover for the Iraq refusal.
Dead wrong. The first Canadian mission to Afghanistan (in fact a combat battle group at Kandahar) was Operation APOLLO from February to July 2002. This was part of the US-led coaltion's effort to rid the country of al Qaeda and the Taliban; it had nothing to do with Iraq.
Prime Minister Chretien did however commit Canadian troops to Afghanistan again (what became Operation ATHENA at Kabul) in early 2003 precisely to avoid Canada's having any troops available for Iraq just in case the UN Security Council approved an attack on that country. It is also worth noting that both of these troop commitments were made without a vote in the House of Commons.
Mr Simpson does reach the right conclusion:
The best that can be reasonably expected over the medium term is not that Afghanistan will turn into some kind of liberal democracy but that it will not revert to Taliban theocracy.
Such a reversion would indeed be a threat, as it was before, to international stability and Western interests and, as such, would be worth trying to prevent -- even if it leads Canadians into a hydra-headed mission that will bring more casualties and nasty surprises.
Another point. The historical memory of our media generally is dismal. Many are saying that the current mission at Kandahar is the Canadian Army's first major combat operation since the Korean War. Again this ignores the first Kandahar mission.
Also worth pointing out, although the media do not. Just like Korea, all Canadian military operations in Afstan have been authorized by the UN Security Council.
Update: Saw Jumpin' Jack Layton interviewed by Nancy Wilson on Newsworld. He stated (just like Mr Simpson) that this was Canada's first combat mission in Afstan; he also stated that the nature of the mission at Kandahar had changed during the election campaign (nonsense--the mission was fully described by National Defence Minister Graham in the fall of 2005). Both wrong and Ms Wilson failed to call him on either. Bozos everywhere.
Cross-posted to Daimnation!
posted by Mark, Ottawa at 9:19 a.m.
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