If you are one of those individuals labouring under the mistaken belief that Canadian foreign policy is made in Ottawa, instead of Washington or Brussels (NATO HQ), last week's shameful announcement by Stephen Harper should convince you otherwise.
After months of insisting - as late as Aug. 24 - that "Canada's military mission ends in 2011", Harper does the proverbial back flip and announces that nearly 40 per cent of our Afghanistan contingent will be left behind until at least 2014.
After 152 combat deaths, (including Prince Georgian Cpl. Darren Fitzpatrick), thousands of wounded and maimed soldiers, and billions of dollars, Harper bows to pressure from our US and NATO allies, many of whom have shirked their duty in Afghanistan and either sent a handful of troops, or insisted they operate in so called "safe areas" so as not to suffer high causalities with the resultant political fallout.
Some of these countries with more than double the population of Canada have seen far fewer loss of life as a result. Take for example France with 50, Germany 45, Italy 33, Spain with 30, and Portugal, the latest addition to the UN Security Council with two.
In short, after nine years and the ultimate sacrifice, Canadian troops have more than done their part, and deserve to come home in 2011 as originally promised.
Now, perhaps fearful that his passport to the G20 gabfests, or NATO or the UN might be revoked, Harper throws our troops under the bus.
What he fails to accept, but which more than 60 per cent of Canadians know is that the mission in Afghanistan is the modern day equivalent of the Charge of the Light Brigade, magnificent, noble and brave, but ultimately doomed to failure.
Afghanistan is a failed state run by a puppet president who gladly accepts cash from Iran, even while he berates NATO. Just last Saturday President Hamid Karzai stated "the U.S. must reduce the visibility and intensity of it's military operations in Afghanistan and end the increased U.S. Special Operations forces night raids that aggravate Afghans and could exacerbate the Taliban insurgency." Does this sound like the kind of leader we should be spilling more Canadian blood to prop up?
Afghanistan is a collection of tribes led by warlords for sale to the highest bidder, many living off the poppy trade. The notion of restoring democracy to this region is laughable since you can hardly restore something they have never had.
The cornerstone of democracy is equality, yet we support a nation that brutalizes woman and forces them to shroud themselves from head to toe while further reinforcing their medieval servitude. This is a nation that throws acid in the face of woman attending school and threatens death by stoning for adultery.
As for Harper's "new" withdrawal date of 2014 don't be fooled. Canadian troops went to Cyprus in 1963 and we are still there 47 years later.
In a further insult to democracy, Harper refuses to neither allow a parliamentary vote on the extension nor divulge details of the mission beyond a low-ball cost estimate of $500 million a year.
Not since Emperor Trudeau has a Prime Minister treated Parliament with such contempt.
Foreign Affairs Minister Cannon and Harper are doing their best to cloud the issue by talking about "non combat" troops and stationing them "behind the wire", knowing full well that our troops will be fighting and dying alongside their Afghan trainees.
Our forces are exhausted after nine years of battle, and our resources are depleted.
Its time for Harper to stand up and put Canadian lives ahead of his personal desire to play in the big leagues. Harper's ego is not worth one Canadian life. Bring the troops home.
