Afghanistan Today

Canadian Forces in Afghanistan have sustained a number of deaths and many casualties to date. Now that they are committed to the battle scene all Canadians at home can do is to wish the military personnel there the maximum safety and security possible. The Nation is in morning with those families which have lost members as a result of military battles.

An earlier Canadian commitment was that of helping in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. This changed to supporting the fight against the Taliban. A fight under the American led counter insurgency war in Afghanistan.

I would prefer to see Canadians involved in the destruction of this year’s poppy crop which will only fuel the drug trade in North America. No doubt the profits from drug sales will support the Taliban and strengthen the drug trade around the world.

Canada needs to set its objectives for its external affairs in keeping with the improvement of the world through the reduction of poverty, the reduction of the AIDS problems in Africa. Canada needs to be a country that supports improvement in the life circumstances of all of humanity. There is a role to play and this must be far from the killing territory of Afghanistan.

American society is turning away from supporting the Republican Party in part because of the war in Iraq.  If the Democrats are successful in the next Presidential election, will the American nation become any more secure? I believe the number one concern of Americans will be internal security. All the money spent in the support of the external wars should be used to improve the lot of Americans and to assist in the solution of the multiple social problems that exist.