Another “friendly fire” incident occurred in Afghanistan, where two US A‑10 Thunderbolts straffed a Canadian Forces base camp. Five Canadian soldiers were severely wounded, and one killed. The dead soldier, Mark Graham, was a widely liked Olympic track star. This followed closely on four Canadian combat deaths over the weekend. Combat deaths are to be expected, but yet another “friendly fire” debacle involving poorly-commanded American forces killing Canadian troops is re-enforcing doubts the Canadian public has about our “mission” in Afghanistan. All the more because Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has made it obvious that Canadian forces are increasingly deployed as mere mercenary forces for George W. Bush. As far as Harper is concerned, there is no Canadian foreign policy. There is only George W. Bush’s policy. However, the Canadian people seem to have another notion, that the Canadian military is intended to defend Canada and the interests of the Canadian people, and to engage in combat on foreign soil only when the moral issues are clear and unequivocal.
This comes from a long experience of foreign wars. During WW I, being used as canon-fodder under British officers created, in Canadians, a considerable touchiness about the issue of submitting to foreign command. Canadian participation in World War II was premised on avoiding this. Subsequently, Canada refused to participate in some wars that it was urged to by allies, when moral issues, strategy, or the validity of Canadian interests where questionable. Thus, Canada entered the Korean War, refused to back Britain when it wanted to invade Egypt, flatly refused to participate in the Vietnam War, joined in the war to oust the Taliban, and flatly refused to participate in the invasion of Iraq. History has shown these to have been pretty much the right choices. The quagmire of failure and dishonour in Iraq has already validated judgement in that instance.
Fighting the Taliban and pursuing Al-Kaida were widely supported by Canadians. The moral issues seemed to be clear. But George W. Bush’s subsequent swindle, where these aims were undermined, perverted, and betrayed to divert resources to the personal schemes of a gang of traitors, were not and never have been supported by most Canadians. This contrast is made all the more clear, today, by Bush’s boastful revelation of operating the secret prison camps that he and his mob had previously denied existed.
The small coterie of quislings around Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been trying to use the same tactics that their masters in Washington have successfully employed. They keep claiming that any thinking, discussion, or concern about the Canadian presence in Afghanistan is somehow undermining and betraying our soldiers. I am happy to say that few of my countrymen respond to this kind of disgusting, manipulative flummery with anything but contempt. Whatever slimy tactics Harper uses, the Canadian public will not be fooled. They will examine our presence in Afghanistan, judge our presence in Afghanistan, and decide if our soldiers are risking their lives for a legitimate and moral cause. That is our right, that is our duty, and that is our power. Canada is a parliamentary democracy, not a presidential monarchy. We decide. Not Stephen Harper. And not George W. Bush.
I would not be surprised if this is the issue that brings down the Conservative government, which got into power by hiding its agenda. The sooner that happens, the better. It is clear to me that if anyone is to be justly accused of betraying and undermining our soldiers, it is Stephen Harper’s government, which sees them as disposable hunks of salami, sold to foreign powers by the kilo.
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