Breaking faith

Those who advocate Canada's withdrawal from Afghanistan should take a good hard look at the faces of those who would be most hurt by such a poisoned strategy.

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Bombing survivor Fatimah Noorzay tells her story at the Canadian Forward Operating Base (FOB) Spin Boldak, Afghanistan. Fatimah was injured when a suicide bomber detonated himself during a meeting at the local Afghan National Police station. The injured woman helped pull survivors and victims from the rubble until she was sent to the hospital by the police chief. After having her wounds dressed, she returned to the scene of the bomb blast to assist further in the search effort.

Several people were killed and many wounded in the suicide bombing. Fatimah came to the Canadian FOB Spin Boldak to give information to the Canadian soldiers who are assisting the Afghans in developing their national police force. She says that she has seen very positive change in the region since the arrival of Canadian troops, and wants Canadians to know that the Afghan people are tremendously grateful for the great sacrifices that Canadian soldiers have made on their behalf.

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A young Afghan girl studies the T-shirt she has been given by Canadian soldiers in the village of Zarakalay, where the Canadian Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) has funded the building of a well, pumphouse, and cistern by local contractors. The soldiers were in Zarakalay to see the progress being made on the new water system. The village is located near the Canadian Forward Operating Base (FOB) Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.

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Afghan women at a shura, speaking while an Afghan man remains silent.

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Nasima Tarin, (front right) a young Afghan girl, and friends show us the letters they wrote as part of a school letter exchange program that was organized by The Provincial Reconstruction Team, at Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar Afghanistan, with a school in Kingston, Ontario. The exchange of letters is organized by the Civil Military Cooperation Centre (CIMIC) at CNS.

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A baby girl clings to her mother at a clinic set-up by the Canadian Forces. The clinic provided care with the help of Afghan doctors brought from Kandahar. For many at the clinic, it was the first time they had recieved professional care.

The Village Medical Outreach at Zangabat, in the Panjwayi District west of Kandahar, was organised by a Civilian Military Cooperation (CIMIC) Team operating out of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Sperwan Ghar. Four doctors and a dentist were brought from Kandahar to treat the villagers. By the end of the day about 260 men, women, and children were seen.

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Tell these Afghans that Canada's mission is just some imperialist scheme to line Dick Cheney's pockets. Tell them it's hopeless. Tell them we're packing up and going home because it's just too hard.

Just don't try to look at yourself in the mirror after you do.

Update: Another good piece from The Ruxted Group on the possible implications of a Canadian withdrawal from southern Afghanistan.