"In Afghanistan for all the right reasons"
A letter in the National Post from a Canadian who has served there (in a combat mission).
Re: Wrong Way To Win Afghan Peace, letter to the editor, March 1.
Michael Shannon would have readers believe that Canada's 3-D (Defence, Diplomacy and Development) approach to supporting the democratically elected government of Afghanistan is an ill-fated and doomed undertaking. Speaking as someone who served in Afghanistan as a member of the Canadian battlegroup committed to Operation Apollo in 2002, I know that nothing could be further from the truth, and I'm sure the 2,200 Canadian soldiers, diplomats and government employees currently serving in Afghanistan would agree.
Despite continuing public uncertainty, the men and women who are proudly and capably wearing our nation's flag in the face of considerable adversity half a world away know exactly what they are doing, and why. Canada's role in Afghanistan dates back to 2001, when we, as a nation, quite deliberately became engaged in that unfortunate nation's history. Let us not forget that we did so because numerous Canadian citizens were murdered alongside many of our American allies in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
Today, we remain engaged in Afghanistan for all the right reasons: namely, to assist a nation emerging from more than 20 years of conflict in re-establishing itself as a functioning society. Our most recent international venture may not be classic interventionist "peacekeeping," which naive Canadians prefer to view as our military role in the world, but it is both the current reality and the current requirement. Whether Canadians are willing to admit it or not, our presence is both necessary and appreciated by the Afghan people. Furthermore, we have a national duty to finish what we started.
Mark Campbell, St. Albert, Alta.
Cross-posted to Daimnation!
Re: Wrong Way To Win Afghan Peace, letter to the editor, March 1.
Michael Shannon would have readers believe that Canada's 3-D (Defence, Diplomacy and Development) approach to supporting the democratically elected government of Afghanistan is an ill-fated and doomed undertaking. Speaking as someone who served in Afghanistan as a member of the Canadian battlegroup committed to Operation Apollo in 2002, I know that nothing could be further from the truth, and I'm sure the 2,200 Canadian soldiers, diplomats and government employees currently serving in Afghanistan would agree.
Despite continuing public uncertainty, the men and women who are proudly and capably wearing our nation's flag in the face of considerable adversity half a world away know exactly what they are doing, and why. Canada's role in Afghanistan dates back to 2001, when we, as a nation, quite deliberately became engaged in that unfortunate nation's history. Let us not forget that we did so because numerous Canadian citizens were murdered alongside many of our American allies in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
Today, we remain engaged in Afghanistan for all the right reasons: namely, to assist a nation emerging from more than 20 years of conflict in re-establishing itself as a functioning society. Our most recent international venture may not be classic interventionist "peacekeeping," which naive Canadians prefer to view as our military role in the world, but it is both the current reality and the current requirement. Whether Canadians are willing to admit it or not, our presence is both necessary and appreciated by the Afghan people. Furthermore, we have a national duty to finish what we started.
Mark Campbell, St. Albert, Alta.
Cross-posted to Daimnation!
posted by Mark, Ottawa at 9:09 a.m.
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