Soldier Defends Mission

[Journeyman]

...many, many soldiers want ....to counter the Jack Laytons, Steven Staples and other ill-informed, self-serving prattlers

If anyone is in Kingston on Friday 15 Sept:

[Conferences/Public Lectures: Our military in Afghanistan: the right mission for Canada? ]

Queen’s Great Debate
Fri 15 Sep
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Location: Biosciences Complex

Debaters: Doug Bland, School of Policy Studies; Steven Staples, Director of Security Programs, Polaris Institute. Moderated by Avril Benoit, CBC. Two experts present point and counterpoint on an issue close to many of our hearts: Our military in Afghanistan: the right mission for Canada?

Unfortunately, I'll be heading up to Ottawa for the weekend.  ;D

 

[vonGarvin]

Unfortunately, I'll be heading up to Ottawa for the weekend.  ;D

You're not heading to Jack Layton's Ottawa office, are you?
If you are, leave this:
:gunner:

at home!

;D

 

[Edward Campbell]

It’s no secret that I would prefer that admirals and generals not enter the public debate on policy issues, see e.g . http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/40460/post-344006.html#msg344006 and http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/48715/post-433455.html#msg433455 but even the Globe and Mail has noted that the Government of Canada is, to be charitable, reticent in explaining the Afghanistan mission to Canadians.

This editorial is from today’s (9 Sep 06) Globe and Mail; it is reproduced here, with my emphasis added, under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060909.EAFGHAN09/TPStory/Opinion/editorials

Ottawa's stealth defence of its Afghan mission

After days of brutal fighting against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, it is reassuring that senior military officials from NATO nations have asked for more support for their forces in the region, including Canadian troops. What is startling, however, is how Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor first told Canadians about this critical need for more equipment and more soldiers: in an interview with Reuters news service from Australia. It is equally surprising that his message was pessimistic, contradicting his earlier gung-ho optimism. "We cannot eliminate the Taliban, not militarily anyway," he declared. "We've got to get them back to some kind of acceptable level so they don't threaten other areas."

While the minister's frankness may be commendable, there are surely better ways to keep Canadians in the loop -- and onside -- for this critical NATO operation. Yesterday's "broad agreement" at the NATO meeting in Warsaw asks the 26 members for 2,000 more troops and more aircraft. The support is needed. Canadian soldiers, along with British and Dutch forces, are now engaged in a dangerous battle against tenacious Taliban troops in the south. Sixteen Canadian soldiers have been killed in the past three months. It is war. True, Mr. O'Connor did confirm that Canada would stand by its commitment to keep troops in Afghanistan until 2009, noting that it is important for Canada to play a role in the modern world. Then he observed: "I think it's a shock for many people in our country that we're involved in something that is not blue helmets and no rifles."

Surely, in response to that public surprise, he and his government could be more persuasive about the mission's vital role in our security. And surely Mr. O'Connor could be less inclined to deliver dramatic announcements from abroad. Canadian troops in Afghanistan are under the command of NATO on a United Nations-sanctioned mission to maintain order and rebuild that shattered nation. Thirty-seven nations have roughly 20,000 troops there. It's an important operation. Canadians are on the front lines. But the Conservatives have done little to bring the public into their confidence, to rally domestic support. Mr. O'Connor rarely speaks publicly, restricting his remarks to a few terse bulletins. His government has effectively silenced its most effective communicator, General Rick Hillier, Chief of the Defence Staff. Although Gen. Hillier did emerge yesterday to say the current operation is winnable, his robust defence has been much missed. And not replaced.


Meanwhile, opposition to the mission is mounting. New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton has already called for the withdrawal of Canadian troops, coupled with talks with the relentlessly destructive Taliban. The Liberals, in turn, have asked for a thorough assessment and review of the mission. The government has been virtually silent. Canada is right to be in Afghanistan. Ottawa should start talking now.

I think we all understand that Stephen Harper is not a natural ‘communicator’ and Gordon O’Connor is stumble-mouthed – constantly required to clarify the few complete sentences he manages to blurt out.

I told Prime Minister Harper that the most recent Army.ca Editorial (http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/49909.0.html ) fully reflects my views and I hope he, too, shares those views and that he will manage to explain ‘why’ to our fellow citizens.  I agree with the Globe and Mail’s editorialist: Canadians want, need and deserve to hear the ‘why’ from our elected head of government.

I have a nagging worry.  What if the Conservatives' main priority remains, as I am fairly certain in was when the mission was debated in Parliament in May, to embarrass the Liberals?  What if Harper and O’Connor and their political brain-trust don’t really know (or care) ‘why’ we are there?  What if it is all policy and political calculation?  How much, how little, really, must we do to keep on-side with Washington?  How little must we do to not annoy the voters, especially in Québec?

I do not believe it is General Hillier’s job to tell Canadians why we are or should be in Afghanistan.  Soldiers and generals should not be required to 'defend the mission'.  But it is somebody’s job.  The government-of-the-day owes Canadians an explanation.


Edit: typos in 2nd last paragraph

 

[Boxkicker]

    Haggis you are very correct we do have a PAO and it is not out jobs to go to the media. The unfortunate reality is that anything coming from the government will just be jumped on by the Layton wing nuts as propaganda. I also do believe that it is time a few more well written articles appear, as I did in the Van Sun some months back, the CoC tried to scare me but like I said to them I did not mention anything about policy (and that is the key), I just gave my personal opinion and feelings.   

 

[Cdn_Chimo]

For those ministers who question what our role is in Afghanistan and if they support what we are doing there, get them to load up in the back of a LAV in the middle of the night to run IED Alley to the PRT or FOB's. Spend time with the troops on the ground, and talk to them. Ask the soldier. You will get the heartfelt answer that what we are doing there is making a change for the good. Troops, knowing full well of the dangers are ready and willing to go to stand together with their comrade at arms and push the Taliban out to help this country out.

Get on the ground...it's too easy to gripe from the house of commons, or from your chair. Get up and support the troop as they have their trust in you and rely on your decisions made from Parliament.

 

[Zell_Dietrich]

I support the mission in Afghanistan,  however I must say I  have to advise extreme caution when dealing with the media.  There are many many rules against voicing your opinion as a Canadian soldier.  Even in last election when the Liberals came out with that "Soldiers with guns in our cities" ad,  we couldn't say anything.  We're supposed to be above politics and we need look only to South America to see what happens when the military take an active role in politics.

    We are still citizens of Canada,  we are free to express our views as such. I've even gone to meetings of NDPers and had 'lively' debates with them (I actually thought I was going to get assaulted twice) - But I know myself I don't have the authority, or the right, to speak on behalf of the CF.  No one in that room knew what I did for work,  if they did it would no longer be me voicing my opinion, I would be representing a large group of people and effectively saying what they may or may not think.  The CF has official spokespeople,  and those other soldiers can say what they think for themselves. 

    I really respect the intentions but I think the best thing one can do,  is to talk to people you know who are unsure of things.  A friendly chat over coffee explaining why we're there and what would happen if we left will stick in a person's mind 1000% better than an 200 word article saying some anonymous person says something. And on the plus side it is damm near impossible to get introuble for private conversations.

 

[riot]

Here's a litle something for that NDP, I try to get it to thier mailbox here: http://www.ndp.ca/contact at least once a day, they also have a phone number you can call and try to find out what troops they claim to be supporting by "bringing them home"

Phone: 613-236-3613
Toll Free: 1-866-525-2555
Fax: 613-230-9950
TTY: 1-866-776-7742

I've noticed that you still have the "Support our troops, bring them home" label on your website. Would you please be so kind as to take it down? I know of no troops who did not volunteer for the Afghanistan mission. ALL of the soldiers there are there by choice and are doing a crucial job. I know that most of my friends are begging to be given the chance to go back.  I have been to Afghanistan, I have lost friends there, both military and local civilian. I assure you that in order for a functioning society to be rebuilt there, security must be established first. You flout “peacekeeping”, there is limited peace in Afghanistan today to be kept. The only peace that is there, exists because we created it. If we were to bring our troops home, who would maintain that peace? A power vacuum would be created, and who would fill it? You claim that women have no rights or superficial rights at best. How long did it take for women to gain equal rights in Canada? These are processes that will take time to develop, we cannot impose a western style liberal democracy on these people. That change must come from within. This change will only come with education, to educate you need schools that teach more than fundamentalist Islamic thought. To maintain schools, they must be protected so as not to be destroyed by people that would rather an uneducated mass that they could more easily control. These are not only my own thoughts, but those of the Afghanis that shared their tears with me as they both thanked me for being there and apologized for the death of our comrades. They would tell me that the people responsible do not care about Afghanistan and are not true Afghanis. They told me that they had never had anyone give up as much security and luxury as we had in Canada and travel halfway around the world to risk our lives to help someone we didn’t know, for no personal gain. Whenever I meet Canadian Afghanis, they thank me for going there, and doing what I did. Afghanistan had a beautiful culture before war and ignorance destroyed it. The world has abandoned Afghanistan for the past thirty years and this is our chance to do something really good, regardless of politics. The average Afghani just wants enough security to enjoy what little he or she has. As someone who voted for the NDP last election because I support your social endeavors, I am DISGUSTED at your stance on this issue. Not only will I NEVER vote NDP until you get rid of “Taliban Jack” and come up with some REALISTIC solutions to some hard problems, I will be actively campaigning against your specific breed of ignorance. Above all else, I demand to know what troops you claim to be supporting by bringing them home. I have recently volunteered to go back to Afghanistan, because I for one, WILL NOT ABANDON THOSE PEOPLE.

 

[SOLDIER702]

I hate to resurrect an old topic but.......I know the guy who wrote this thing, I guess he's just one of those guys that can only be silent for so long before letting loose with a rant. I felt compelled to buy him a beer