Category: Afghanistan
Kandahar Press Censorship Isn’t Quite as Reported?
| 4/30/2009 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan |
Yesterday a piece was circulated by The Canadian Press reporting Canadian journalists in Kandahar had restrictions placed on them which virtually made it impossible for them to move freely around either the base or the city in preparing their reports. The report claimed the restrictions mirrored the US approach to journalists in Iraq.
The report mentioned these restrictions didn’t apply to American journalists as that would violate the US Constitution. Hello? When did the Canadian constitution allow these restrictions on Canadian journalists?
Today The Canadian Press reports Defence Minister Peter McKay would be looking into the restrictions which have been temporarily suspended. The matter was raised in Parliament and the usual critics weighed in; Liberal Denis Coderre and Jack Layton who said, “This should be a no-brainer. The Canadian government should be saying it is important for the freedom of the press and for the truth to come to Canadians.” He should know being the Hill’s resident no-brainer. (more…)
Give the Taliban An Inch, They Take the Mile
| 4/28/2009 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan |
Earlier this month, the Pakistani government inked a deal with the Taliban allowing them to impose their extreme form of Islam in the Swat valley. The Swat area is in the largely lawless Northwest regions along the Pakistan/Afghanistan border. The Taliban being who they are barely allowed the ink to dry before moving their forces into the neighbouring Buner district.
They have since pulled some of their forces out but reportedly still have about 450 militants still in the area. That’s definitely enough to be terrorising the population. Control of Buner would place the Taliban within about 60km of Islamabad, the seat of government in Pakistan. (more…)
Canadian Soldiers Are Both Warriors and Peacekeepers
| 4/14/2009 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan, Brave Canadians |
The godfather of Canada’s latest fallen hero seems to feel that his goddaughter died for nothing. He believes that Canada’s military should return to its “peacekeeping roots”. Canada’s roots are not in peacekeeping any more than his roots are English instead of French.
In the next few days the remains of Trooper Blais will land at CFB Trenton and like all those who arrived before her, she and her family will travel the Highway of Heroes. On one of those bridges I’ll be standing in my place as a Legion officer to the left of the Canadian flag flying in her honour, saluting her service and sacrifice. I’m assuming her godfather, Mario Blais, will be in one of the vehicles passing under us.
I’d like opportunity to sit down with him and have a quiet talk about the legacy that his goddaughter signed up to. I’d like to talk to him about how his claim (and he’s not the only one to do this) that Canada’s roots are in peacekeeping diminishes the memory of those warriors Karine followed in the footsteps of. I’d like to talk to him about how even peacekeeping missions were not without danger and death, in fact at times the danger was even more while our soldiers were denied access to weaponry to protect themselves. (more…)
Pakistan Signs Deal With the Devil
| 4/14/2009 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan |
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the regulation which gives the Taliban legal control over the Swat Valley near the Afghanistan border. The Taliban came into existence wtih the help of Pakistani security forces. They were originally meant to operate in controlling Afghanistan after the Russians pulled out in the 1990s.
The Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies have terrorised that area of Pakistan since being pushed from power in Afghanistan. They have used the area to launch attacks against international forces, including Canadians, engaged in trying to bring stability to Afghanistan. They have also used it as a base to attack the Pakistani government. It also appears the attack in Mumbai earlier this year were planned and controlled from this area. (more…)
What is Karzai Inhaling?
| 3/28/2009 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan |
On Friday, US President Obama announced the result of the American review of the mission in Afghanistan. In addition to sending the already announced 17,00 troops to Afghanistan, the US plans on sending 4,000 military to accelerate and expand the training of Afghan military and police forces. That is right in line with what Canada has been doing in addition to our combat role. Although Canada is unable to send more troops.
Another aspect of Obama’s new focus is a willingness to reach out to more moderate Taliban sympathizers. Mostly those who have taken up the cause more out of cohersion or economic need. This is something Afghan President Karzai has previously indicated a willingness to do, the difference is that Karzai has even opened the possibility of the highest level of the Taliban being invited to the negotiating table. Wonder if Karzai has ever tried negotiating with an active rattlesnake?
Many, if not most of the, Taliban command structure has been placed on the UN’s “Consolidated List” which makes them subject to things like travel bans and seizure of assets. That seems to be a pretty fair response to those who not only harboured Al Qaeda prior to and after 9/11 but have been part of the command structure responsible for Afghan and coalition deaths, including 116 Canadians to date. (more…)
Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan
| 3/26/2009 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan, Canadian News |
This week, as we’ve done all too often since 2002, Canadians received and honoured more war dead from Afghanistan. Sitting at the Legion prior to heading to the bridge I heard the question asked that is asked so often there: “Why are we there? Those people have been fighting for thousands of years, we’re not going to change them”‘
The speaker knows we are there as part of our commitment to both the UN and NATO and in part as a friend and ally of our American neighbours. He, like thousands of other Canadians, want some understanding that this mission isn’t just about our soldiers dying in numbers greater than our allies. It’s an extremely valid question as we prepared to go to the bridges to honour four more fallen Canadians, a total of eight in just three weeks.
One thing we need to remember that makes the NATO mission in Afghanistan different from past wars in that country. We are not fighting the Afghan people, we are fighting FOR the Afghan people. We are fighting to allow them to form a free society with a democratic government. It will not likely be exactly as we have but that is ok, they are different culture to us. Freedom can translate many ways. (more…)
Canadian Heroes to Be Honoured Friday
| 2/11/2009 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan, Brave Canadians |
Today’s post was originally going to be about the improvement the Liberals under Michael Ignatieff are enjoying in the public opinion polls. I’m happy to see that change but another item caught my attention. Without those who are part of this item and those who went before them, we would not have the democracy we have. Our opinions as citizens wouldn’t really matter.
I live on a section of the Trans Canada Highway 401 which has been officially renamed “the Highway of Heroes”. It is the section of highway stretching from Trenton (20 minutes east of me) to Toronto (90 minutes west of me) which every Canadian killed in service to Canada in Afghanistan has travelled with their families. It is along this stretch that thousands of Canadians turn out in the frigid cold of January, the searing heat of July and all the weather in between to salute our fallen Canadian and express our collective pain at their loss.
During the last year, I’ve been part of saluting two of those who are going to be among those receiving military decorations from the Governor-General (the Canadian Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces) at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. There will be 48 receiving decorations for valour and service to this country. They are among the thousands of Canadian service personnel who leave their families to serve Canada here and abroad. (more…)
Actions Mightier Than Military Might
| 1/31/2009 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan |
Remember earlier last November the savage attack on school girls in Afghanistan as they made their way to school? Men on motorcycles sprayed acid on the girls as they walked to school, seriously hurting one of them. It is believed that the attack was launched by the Taliban in an effort to stop girls from attending school.
Since then eight men have been rounded up and at least one of them has confessed. The attack sparked outrage in Afghanistan and around the world for the viciousness. In the days following the attack attendance at schools, especially for girls fell off. The young girl who was so badly injured spoke out that she was determined to return to school, that the attack was not going to stop her.
The headmaster of the school moved quickly after the attack to convince the girls and their families to return to school, not to allow this terrorism to triumph. Today almost all 1300 students have returned to school.
The courage of those Afghan families and their daughters is a testament to the determination of the Afghan people to have a peaceful and productive society. When a people are willing to stand up for themselves, to act even while knowing there is a danger of further attacks…… that is more powerful than all the armaments in the world. Nothing trumps the power of the human spirit.
Kudos to everyone of them. God bless them all.
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