Afghanistan: Finding a Reason Why

Canadian soldiers have been in Afghanistan since 2002 and it is time to understand why they are there. If the only reason is to appease the Americans then we should pull out immediately. But I don't think the Prime Minister would send Canadians to their death just to make the relations with the USA smoother. But you never know in the world of politics.

To state it plainly, there is only one reason that is justifiable both morally and politically to put Canadian men and women in harms way when combat operations are involved. The only reason is to protect the sovereignty of Canada. This is not an opinion; it is the reason for creating a military in the first place.

If the government is to show the Canadian people that it is correct for our military to be in Afghanistan then they must show that it is to protect our sovereignty. After putting all the reasons we have read in the newspapers and on the internet, or heard on the radio and television, to the sovereignt test only one remains; and only if a number of assumptions are taken as fact.

It is not to bring democracy to Afghanistan, or to improve the human rights of the country, or even to free the women from oppression which meets the test of sovereignty, it is when a politician states that the military is in Afghanistan to root out and stop terrorism that we arrive at a good enough reason. That is, if you agree that the following assumptions are true:

Canada Is the Target of International Terrorism
Osama Bin Ladin has named Canada as a target. But that might be only because we are in the Middle East. If we remove our troops we may fall of the radar of international terrorism. The 17 arrests in Toronto, if the RCMP isn't on a witch hunt, are also linked to our presence in the Middle East. In the end, you must believe that Canada will continue to be a target even if we remove our troops from the Middle East otherwise the test of sovereignty fails. Canada has a storied military history but we have never been known to invade countries not at war with us.

Fighting in Afghanistan Will Reduce the Chances of an Attack in Canada
If you have to make a choice between losing civilians in a terrorist attack or losing soldiers in fighting against terrorists, or those who aid them, then you must choose the latter. People have become soldiers to fight to protect their country, civilians have not. You also must realize that terrorists may not fight your army at all but just move to another location and continue their work. Terrorists may have moved out of Afghanistan into Pakistan. If this is the case, then fighting in Afghanistan is pointless unless the fight moves to where the terrorists relocate.

Conclusion
It is extremely difficult to show that Canada's presence in Afghanistan is a protection of our sovereignty. Fighting and losing soldiers in the Middle Eastern country doesn't mean a terrorist attack in Canada will never occur. In fact it is easier to conclude that our presence there increases our chances rather than lessens them. When Canadian soldiers occupy land outside of Canada in a combat role where the natives are not at war with Canada then we have no moral ground to stand on.

If the United States believes that Afghanistan is a haven for terrorists who will attack them then the Americans have the right to defend their sovereignty. But it has never been shown conclusively or otherwise that Canada has ever been a target except when we put troops on the ground in the Middle East. Removing them will remove the threat and is the morally correct thing to do.

FS Staff

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