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Today's Top News
Afghanistan: Who Are the Heroes Here?
I mean we can sort of quasi-invade it but we can't walk into one of their prisons. I mean, give me a break." (Former Canadian embassy in Kabul official Eileen Olexiuk, on being told by superiors that she couldn't investigate prisoner transfers despite serious concerns over torture.)
Tipping points are a matter of opinion. In mine, the Canadian mission in Afghanistan has now tipped over and landed in Somalia in 1993. This was not supposed to happen. The mission of the Rick Hillier generation in the Canadian Forces was to redress the failure and shame of the Somalia mission. Canada went there to back up a U.S. invasion, designed to show American ability to impose its control anywhere, as the world's "sole superpower," after the Soviet Union imploded. But it led to the abuse and murder of a Somali teenager, Shidane Arone, by Canadians, a suddenly disbanded royal commission, the dissolution of an elite unit, and a will to rebuild.
Now look at Afghanistan. We went in to back a U.S. invasion. Yesterday in Ottawa, a senior military cop said the plan was to avoid another Somalia by handing prisoners to Afghans, where our "responsibility ended" unless "there was a clear allegation" of torture - and it turns out there were many! This is worse than Somalia. It is gutless, widespread and systemic. Wednesday, a former Afghan translator for our troops testified to the most grisly details yet. He's now in Ottawa with his family, after threats of Taliban retaliation.
No ground was won back by the military with this mission. What are families of the dead soldiers to make of it? The elaborate built-up structure of myth is under stress: the highway of heroes, Luke's Troops, standing O's at public events, Hockey Night in Canada tributes. Even the fact that our troops were in Kandahar gets ignored as the U.S. prepares to move in there.
I certainly don't think our soldiers have been villains, but they have been victims and to some degree dupes. Their military and political leaders let them down by sending them in. Once there, you have to deal with death, torture, the whole calamitous package. A better idea is to stay out of pointless mires. Use your military to defend your country, not invade and occupy others.
There are villains: The generals who swanned before the parliamentary hearings last fall, scoffing at all charges, and now at least sounding chastened. Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper. Barking MPs like Conservative Laurie Hawn and his caucus mates. The media who gullibly swallowed the Rick Hillier shtick as if he was the second (one was enough) coming of Don Cherry.
And there's at least a footpath of heroic whistleblowers and truth-tellers, like the commonsensical Eileen Olexiuk ("Give me a break"). Richard Colvin, who's still in the diplomatic service, but broke ranks and took his lumps in and out of Question Period. Ahmadshah Malgarai, the Afghan-Canadian translator who testified this week. The Globe's Graeme Smith, who unleashed the detainee story in 2006. None needed the courage of a soldier in the field, but they spoke more in the interests of those soldiers than the generals and politicians, who pretty much betrayed them.
What can we expect from this government? "From what I know and have seen, I have no interest in seeing this exhibition personally," said cabinet minister James Moore this week. He was talking about a show at the National Gallery, but it could have been the Afghan torture disclosures. These guys just don't want to know. Their prorogation gimmick in December kept the story quiet till now. The only reason we get to hear it at all is due to the powers of the opposition in what the Brits charmingly call a hung parliament.
Pray for another, I say, at least until we have solid guarantees of public information about what matters.
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13 Comments so far
Show Allthe Devil made them do it the first time,
the second time they did it on their own.
This is for you locust...it must be told.
Well, clearly we need to do something about all this tea party stuff real quick. I mean, that's what every third article on CD is about now right? This Afghanistan stuff is just a distraction don't you see, from talking about gay marriage or carbon taxes, or what the latest tea party boogy-man said about our beloved warrior-saint Obama. Locust has consistently posted over the last four years again and again and AGAIN what needs to happen in regard to the never ending "War on Terror" (R) and I have not seen ONE SINGLE ARTICLE on this site even ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT HE SAYS IS TRUE! He is correct! Repeal Public Law 107-40 or admit you don't really care.
Think about that for a moment. No article on Public Law 107-40 for nine damn years? Who is leading whom?
It strange. After Somalia I had thought the wind out of the sails of the groups that indicated Canada should shift its focus from peacekeeping roles, to ones of warmaking when using its military.
The consequences of Somalia were severe in that an entire unit was disbanded and many of its members forced out of the military.
Yet at the same time there that large group of people who indicated we should have supported our Military, that the Government overreacted and it was those Government actions and the inquiry that brought shame on the Canadian forces and not the actions of the same instead.
It was argued that the racist element was a small one. A few "bad apples" that tainted the entire barrel.
In retrospect one can argue that Somalia led directly TO Afghanistan. The forces behind those claiming the Government heavy handed seeking vindication through a "Noble Cause".
The underlying problem is of course this was NOT a Noble cause. When it comes to making war, such causes are rarely noble. Principles and morals inevitably are sacrifcied to the "Mission". The "Mission" becomes the only cause and the "mission" needs to be won no matter the costs.
That is the nature of the military mindset and its leaders.
Some how I doubt that Harper sees Somalia as a shameful chapter in Canadian history. Harper is not very big on human rights - or human decency.
There has always been the fight between those who respect human rights and those who figure that might is right - hope the scales tip back soon.
The strategic problem for Progressives is the lack of a single focus.
Public Law 107-40. This year, this election.
Nothing else is as important as changing America at WAR to America, a nation at peace.
The way, the true path to peace has been found. The Empire hid it under a rock, like the worst of the slime that they dump on us, hidden in vague language, never revisited, never mentioned, never questioned until now and here.
The Coalition to End the Daft War was born on August 6, 2009 (Hiroshima anniversary). Its 1-year mission is to end the DAFT war.
Don't look for the Coalition, BE the Coalition.
Don't look for leaders, be a leader. Be your own hero.
The Empire has no clothes.
America will turn away from naked aggression.
Focus on Public Law 107-40 and show America that this forever war to 'prevent future terrorism' is...
DAFT, the Defense against Future Terrorism
This idea came to me in a dream, a tiny locust-sized dream, born from the multitudes of common dreams found here on this site of peace and social justice, etc.
This idea came to me, it is not my idea. It is our idea.
thanks, IAppearToBeAVerb
"America's wars have been like the rungs on a ladder by which it rose to greatness. No other country has trumphed so long, so consistenly or on such a vast scale through force of arms." A COUNTRY MADE BY WAR -Geoffrey Perret (available at Amazon)
While I certainly agree with your focus on Public Law 107-40 insofar as the U.S. "Authorization for Use of Military Force" is concerned, it must be noted that Canadian participation in the Afghanistan debacle is based on UN Security Council Resolution 1363 (2001) that authorized the NATO alliance to set up an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
It is not at all clear what effect, if any, a revocation of U.S. public law might have on what has nominally become a NATO treaty obligation for mutual defence. The whole issue of "pre-emptive wars" without actual declarations of war gets very messy very quickly.
It is also noteworthy (for other reasons) that both China and Russia supported that initial UN resolution and have since acquiesed in several "mission creep" extensions that have provided Canada's Prime Minister, Steven Harper, among others, with a legalistic basis for the continued presence of the country's armed forces in Afghanistan. Recently, Harper has reiterated a promise to withdraw Canada's forces by 2011.
REF:
http://www.nato-pa.int/default.asp?SHORTCUT=1312
http://www.un.org/News/dh/latest/afghan/un-afghan-history.shtml
As I read Rick's article, my mind spontaneously recalled some photographs from the Somalia atrocity - and that's what it was. 17 years past, and those "frat house-like" images left that much of an impression on me. Few Americans saw them.
In stead of all that investigative theatre and hoopla, I felt each troop should spend an hour closeted alone with Major-General Lewis Mackenzie, while an ambulance waited outside with the engine running. Lew is a guy you want on YOUR side.
Trylon
I believe the CBC said the Afghan translator's family remains in Afghanistan (which in part might explain the vituperance of his invective).
It was a good thing for Mr Harper that there was another media circus - is it call girls?, cocaine trafficing?, influence peddaling?- in Ottawa this week.
This is the first time an Afghani "subaltern" has spoken at the detainee hearing. Interestingly he invited the public to hear and view more, as he was willing to bring in further "subalterns" to the commission. Any bets as to this happening?
I think the coffin lid has been placed over top this military nightmare, though the nails aren't yet hammered tight -yet- (think: Clinton's latest visit to Canada and the sending of further military trainers to Afghanistan).
I think that Helena Guergis and Rahim Jaffer accomplished something that prorogation and the olympics couldn't - changing the channel on this prisoner abuse scandal somewhat.
Ahmadshah Malgarai (the translator) was on CBC radio saying that he could bring in a lot of eye witnesses from Afghanistan who can back up his testimony. I don't see that happening, though.
Heard that the British will be debating Afghanistan in their second leader's debate so odds are they are gone to - at least officially. I can just picture this "training" that we are supposed to be doing after July 2011 turning into on the job training - if you know what I mean. Harper tends to ignore any ruling he doesn't like and spin it until all the truth falls away like the change in one's pockets during an up-side-down amusement ride - only less amusing.
The author wrote: "I certainly don't think our soldiers have been villains, but they have been victims"
_________________________________________________
This author is incapable of truth. He creates a context to make invading killers the victims. What dishonesty! The sole purpose of foreign soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq is to kill innocent people for their stuff, and the troops' behavior has been abhorring, especially with the sexual disco torture.
May God be on the side of the victims, and may reckoning be swift and just.
I'm a Canadian and would have hoped for a better role for us internationally, but that's not the case. Our full complicity in BS is.
I don't expect it to change or be different until it changes at the causative level, which isn't government (which reflects what we want). And our governmental system, like others', is pretty much gamed to avoid real change. That's just how it is.
What can be done is local stuff, building community and resilience, the equivalent of building up the soil so something can grow in it.
(Some ideas for this at RadicalRelocalization.com. )
"...what the Brits charmingly call a hung parliament."
Nice thought. That would be great for Congress and the Executive, too. Then, perhaps, we could do better the second time around. ;-)