Canadians fear Afghan role not 'peacekeeping'

[struggle4progress]

Critics say mission too much defense, too little diplomacy

By Kim Barker | Chicago Tribune correspondent
July 18, 2008

BOWMANVILLE, Canada — Near the corner of Temperance and Church Streets, a granite monument honors this town's dead soldiers and lists where they died.

But when Darryl Caswell was killed by a roadside bomb last year in Afghanistan, no one was sure how to add his death, the town's 103rd military fatality but the first one in 43 years. Town leaders had planned to etch the word "peacekeeping" above his name, but to many in Bowmanville, a town of 31,000 east of Toronto, that description of Canada's role fighting with NATO in Afghanistan seemed wrong.

"I don't see where the peacekeeping comes in," said Paul Caswell, Darryl's father.

The war in Afghanistan has changed the way Canadians view war and their military — and in some ways, themselves and the U.S., their mighty neighbor to the south. After Canada declined to participate in the Iraq conflict, a decision to send up to 2,500 troops at a time to the bloodiest part of Afghanistan has transformed Canada from a nation proud of its peacekeeping missions to a nation figuring out how to be at war ...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-canada-afghan_barkerjul18,0,4788978.story

[Solly Mack]

1. Wow. This is just now catching up to people?

[sourmilk]

2. I certainly felt betrayed...

...when the Conservatrons changed the orientation of DND from Peacekeeping and Reconstruction to Counterinsurgency and Interdiction, then changed the withdrawal date TWICE. I used to want a change in orientation, back to the PRT / Security role...now I JUST WANT THEM OUT.

Lester B. is turning in his grave...

[irislake]

3. Even before the invasion of Afghanistan

I knew it wasn't about Bin Laden but was about oil. The UNOCAL pipeline. I don't know how politicians manage to dupe Canadians when the CBC discloses this information. If we stay there we are nuts!

[Caradoc]

4. Brainwashed....

....by the usual neo-con spin. We've been there long enough, it isn't peacekeeping anymore and no one knows what the end game is because there isn't one. Harper just wants to look tough and do what his republican masters want. He is the single greatest threat to Canada and his government must be removed in the next election.

But on a lighter note, Harper took his cabinet ministers out to dinner the other night. The waitress asked 'what would you like, Mr. Prime Minister?'
'Steak' he replied.
The waitress then asked 'and what about the vegetables?'
Oh, they'll have steak, too.' answered Harper.

[applegrove]

5. LOL! Like the joke.