AFGHANISTAN: Who are Canadian troops defending?

[tuvor]

The following open letter to Canadian PM Stephen Harper was issued on September 8 by Ken Georgetti president of the Canadian Labour Congress the largest trade union federation in Canada representing 3 million workers. In May Harper’s minority Conservative government barely persuaded MPs — in a 149-145 vote — to approve an extension of Canada’s participation in NATO’s US-led counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan until 2009. A July poll indicated that 52% of voters oppose Canadian troops being deployed in Afghanistan. Of the 20000 NATO-led foreign troops in Afghanistan 2300 are from Canada. By September 10 33 Canadians had been killed in Afghanistan since 2002 — more than any other NATO country except Britain (40) and the US (272). Half of the Canadian fatalities have occurred in the past three months as Canadian troops have joined British and Dutch forces in operations against Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan.

In recent months Canadians have been the recipients of a fierce selling-job on our military’s role in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has claimed our mission is both honourable and just and I have no doubt this echoes the sentiments of our troops.

Prime Minister Harper has said Canada won’t “cut and run” in Afghanistan and suggested other “weak-kneed” parliamentarians fall in line. Hordes of pundits have agreed and suggested dissenters are damaging our troops’ morale and Canada’s role in the “War on Terrorism”.

Canadians have seen this movie before. It went something like: “You’re either with us or you’re with the terrorists”. Currently that view of foreign policy earns about 36% support of the US electorate. Surely Canadians deserve a better explanation about why we’ve committed to our largest military deployment in 50 years.

Simply put prime minister whose interests are we defending in Afghanistan?

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2006/684/684p19b.htm