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In my opinion, this is not a yes or no question, there are so many factors to consider.
Granted, we have suffered a higher rate of loss in comparison to other states fighting in Afghanistan but a major factor contributing to that is the fact that our troops are not necessarily as well-equipped as others. Not to mention the fact that we are stationed in the more dangerous areas.
But we need to also look at the other side of the coin, this effort has been UN & NATO-sanctioned and marked the first time Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty was invoked -"an armed attack against one or more of [NATO members] in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence"* ! This surely must mean that something will come of our involvement there. Indeed there have been advancements in training the Afghani people to combat the Taliban, among other things.
By no means do I think we should continue down the same path that we (and our allies) have been on, there is a dire need for more troops from more countries, but at the same time I believe that to leave now would worsen the situation.
Sara
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at 11:13 PM |
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Ok, in my poli sci class Robert Thibault came in and asked us the same question. all of us said no. he then explained this to us : " Canadians are there helping people out. If they leave all the people that are helping the canadians are going to be killed and everything we've done over there wont matter anymore"
so the situation can be argued both ways
Christianne
Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 9:09 AM |
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Over time we have forgotten that freedom isnt free, some measure the cost of freedom in dollers which people them think is expensive. When really it should be measured in lives lost, considering what it has cost in the past freedom is considerable cheaper. To pull out, as others said earlier would make those lives lost in vain.
Brendon
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 11:36 AM |
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Currently Stephen Harper is hiding the actual number spent on this war to date. The last update we got was for $8 billion. I voted no on this topic but there is more to it. We need to go back to our roots of being a peaceful country and not being the United States. That being said the troops should be sent to the UN and used to their discretion. We are a member of the UN and I believe that all members of the UN should addibe by their rules, keep the peace, help countries in need, without making things worse or getting involved where we are not needed.
Chris
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 7:54 PM |
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Our troops are doing alot of good in Afghanistan but
I have to disagree that they should be under the auspices of the UN.
Read "Shake Hands With The Devil" and see the movie. Romeo Dallaire opened my eyes about the UN. Too much compromise and not enough support is given to peacekeeping missions from all member nations. Personally I will support whatever our troops have to do but they are dealing with alot of fanaticism and ignorance. I think we are headed for another Vietnam and too much listening to lies about WMD's. The US is partially to blame as is Britain but our politians have to take resposibility for listening to propaganda from both sides instead of listening to what they are being told by their own people. Freedom cannot be given to people. They have to want it. In my opinion, the people of Afghanistan do not want freedom to be educated and advance in the world they have. They still want what it was like in the old days when they were poor and somone told them how to think.
Lydia
Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 1:16 PM |
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we are over there fixing what we have done, if you want to know what im getting at NATO practically made the Taliban for fuck sakes. we gave them weapons and money to fight during the cold war when it was over we cut them off, and left the country under the control of the Taliban, whoops how were we to know that these mercenaries were power hungry mother fuckers who want revenge for fucking them over. so now we had the sudden realization that, wow the guys are smarter than we had though they were, and shit they just attacked us. uh oh... so what do we do we go over to restore the power to the afghan people, we take it away from the Taliban and put it back into the people. give them something that we have had for so many years, democracy... the deployment to Afghanistan was never a peace keeping mission, don't know who ever said that but it was a load of bull. when countries go to war there are casualties. its easy for us to sit safe at home saying stop the fight while our soldiers are fighting for a cause which they believe in... and if we came home right now with out finishing what we had started all those men and women who gave their lives in hope that some one could have a life like ours would mean they had died in vein... to draw a more personal note, i have friends over there right now, and i have friends who left for basic training today, because they want to fight for the afghan people. and i respect them for that.
Evan
Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 12:55 AM |
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How did we ever become so ignorant about this mission. We are now in Afghanistan, pulling out now would make the 100 Canadians that sacrificed their lives completely useless. There will be casualties, there will be death there will be suffereing. That is part of war and peacekeeping too! Did we forget about the dangers of peacekeeping as well? We're doing good work in Afghanistan. If we pull out prematurely, I would seriously consider myself very embaressed as a Canadian citizen.
David
Monday, December 8, 2008 at 2:45 AM |
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Canada should stay the course in Afghanistan. We invaded the country along with our allies, left it in ruins, so now its time to pick up the pieces. If we withdraw to early that would mean the terrorists would win in the long run because they would simply take over the government and then we'd be back to square one and lost lives and millions of dollars. Lets not make those soldiers death in vain, bring democracy to Afghanistan and rid them of their previous terrorist rulers before we leave.
Martin
Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 7:09 PM |
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We should definately get out of Afghanistan. The reasons are varied, layered, and complex. The first thing to consider is why are we there? At first it was to fight terrorisim, but now its to liberate Afghanistan, much like how Iraq has turned into "operation Iraqi freedom"... We are supporting 'The War on Terror'. A war against a noun. A war which supports and spreads policies of stripping people of their basic human rights, based on assumptions of being a terrorist. I am not at all saying that this is what our troops are doing, but it is the basic principal. We have lost troops due to 'terrorist attacks'. If canada was invaded... i would throw sticks and stones at the invaders as well. Does that make me a terrorist?
The American neo-conservatives led by Paul Wolfowitz over 30+ years have held policies of creating enemies in order to unite the country, and thus stimulating the economy by going to war. In the 70's and 80's the enemy was communism. Vietnam, Russia, Cuba, Laos, Columbia, North Korea, amoung others, were victims of this idiotic thinking. Americans have no idea what it meant to be communist (sharing and equality), but they were the enemies. Looking at Americas policies of Greed and Selfishness, its easy to see why communism is the enemy.
The NEOCONS have done it again... but this time theyve got the world on board. 9-11 was an inside job, of course anyone who knows anything already knows this. 9-11 was the spring board to get the world involved in chasing ghosts, and being sppoked by shadows... so that wealthy people can be more wealthy, and have more power... WAKE UP PEOPLE. Canada being in Afghanistan supports all the above and then some.
In saying this... i dont think we should leave that country in ruins... my proposal is
There is a global shortage of morphine/heroin/opiates for medicinal/medical/hospital purposes. Afghanistan produces about 80% of the worlds poppies/opiates (the key ingredient for making heroin/morphine). We invest a bunch of money into a system of opiate production for the good of all Afghans (and take away from the ruthless drug lords). We make it a national system. It will help to create a stable economy and perhaps aid in the intense poverty in Afghanistan, while providing a drug which is very desperately needed. Opiate production will become Afghanistans LEGAL industry thus aiding the people without military force. It could also help unite the country thus creating some stablilty politically.
Anyways thanks for reading my ramblings...
Levi
Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:39 PM |
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Sarah Conrad
Sarah Conrad is a 23 year old professional freestyle snowboarder from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. From her early days at Martock to recently placing 2nd at the World Cup in Stoneham Quebec, Sarah’s come a long way! She has been compe... |
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