Rejecting 2011 Canadian troop withdrawal reversal

I want to respond to the Liberal decision to support the Harper government keeping Canada’s troops in Afghanistan. Here is an exchange with Liberal Defense Critic Bob Rae after his appearance on CTV Question Period November 21st 2010

I have been a Liberal and supported candidates since Roger Mitchell held the Sudbury seat in the 1950’s and early 1960s. I did not always agree with the direction of the party and refused to be a card-carrying member and donor at times. However, I always supported the party federally and had a working friendship with Maurice Foster and Brent St. Denis when they represented our riding. Like many Liberals, I suppose I would not be considered a die-hard supporter. I was having a difficult time supporting recent Liberal initiatives. Your appearance on CTV QP on Sunday I felt was a political disaster for the party and the country. You came across as willing to sacrifice Liberal ideals once again to avoid having to face the electorate over the Conservative flip flop on keeping troops in Afghanistan. We are all aware of the reasons for supporting the US, the UN and helping Afghanistan to try shedding the image of a recruiting ground for terrorism. They are all noble causes but when the vast majority of Canadians are saying leave the war and find another more effective way to fight terrorists, Liberals should listen instead of placing all the party’s credence in a coalition with the Conservatives. The people have spoken, no screamed, that the war is a lost cause. You and the other Liberals in the farce called parliamentary debate during question period must listen and shift gears if you want financial and voter support from we, the usual party supporters. I feel better now.

I received this reply from an intern in Mr. Rae’s office. Thank you for taking the time to write to our office concerning the future of Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan after July 2011. After months of speculation and inaction, the Harper government finally revealed its plan for the post-combat role of the Canadian forces: the Conservatives will keep 950 military personnel to train in Afghanistan until 2014.
Both Mr. Rae and the Liberal Party believe that Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan must end in 2011, as is currently scheduled. Further, we support the new post-combat training presence outlined by the government on November 16.
The Liberal Party has long made it clear that we support a continuing training role for Canada’s troops after the combat mission ends to sustain a stable, effective government in Afghanistan. Nearly six months ago, we took a position of leadership by proposing in our Global Networks Strategy that Canada pursue a limited, post-2011 role based on training of police and military personnel and civilian capacity-building in Afghanistan. The government’s proposal conforms to this Liberal position.
Despite the fast-approaching July 2011 deadline, the Conservative government was silent on the issue, providing no plan or guidance for how this withdrawal would take place, or what role, if any, Canada should play once the combat mission ends. Then, just hours after the Liberals pressed for answers in the House of Commons, and just days before the Lisbon NATO summit, the government has finally confirmed details of the post-2011 role that they are proposing.
Mr. Rae and the Liberal Party believe that this training role is appropriate, provided – as the government has stated – that such training will not involve any Canadian personnel, including military personnel, in an active combat role.
Canada must continue to work with other NATO and UN partners to sustain a stable, effective government in Afghanistan. Canada must remain committed to strengthen the capacity of the Afghan government to provide educational, health and social services, promote the equality of women, and develop its democratic institutions.
Mr. Rae and the Liberal Party strongly support the post-2011 non-combat mission as the best path to stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan for the Afghan people and its government. The position of the NDP is simply not credible. Jack Layton has called for “a massive civilian deployment” to provide stability in Afghanistan; however, you cannot achieve this in the midst of conflict without providing Afghans with the tools to protect their security and democracy.
The Liberal Party believes that the non-combat role in Afghanistan fits into the broader Liberal vision of Canada’s role in the world. The Liberal Global Networks Strategy emphasizes a return to a leadership in the United Nations peace operations and support for the ‘Responsibility to Protect’; constructive multilateralism, and a “whole-of-Canada” approach to human development.

I replied to Mr. Rae through the intern. Thank you for your detailed reply. I hear the same argument reiterated on almost every newscast and television political broadcast. It appears to be simply rhetoric to avoid an unplanned election. Ten years of war and 154 Canadians dead is sufficient reason to get out of a country that cannot hold democratic elections without charges and counter charges of fraud. The country’s rulers historically await invaders (because that is what we have become) to stop spending money and leave so ruling chieftains can return to administering power in the traditional manner. Those future ‘trained troops’ will be equipped with modern weaponry supplied by NATO and UN countries believing themselves saviors of the nation that will eventually use that weaponry to defend and kill more ‘invaders’ to ensure the same old ideas that have been the nation’s character since before biblical times is reinstated. The Liberal/Conservative coalition in this instance has not learned anything from history and only succeeded in sacrificing 154 Canadian lives and thousands of Afghanistan men women and children in an effort to stop the next Al Qaeda attack against the western alliance even though experts tell us that attack is inevitable. Many of the people I speak with everyday on social networks, in coffee houses, on the street, and in shopping centers across Northeastern Ontario feel the same about this latest capitulation to the Harper drive for power. I don’t expect any further reply but you, Mr. Rae and his team should be aware that many former Liberal donors and supporters are disappointed.

A Pot Pourri of comments on today

November 9, 2010
I have been writing this blog like an opinion editorial. It is a habit from the past, it seems like I am afraid to say the comments are mine maybe? That will change beginning today hopefully.

What’s on the agenda? Federally with the House of Commons again in recess, only Harpers brown-nosing Israel while the rest of the world looks on in disgust seems newsworthy. The NEW Canada derived from the NEW Conservative philosophy that Canadians seem willing to allow is undoubtedly the result of the other OLD parties being just that, OLD parties with old ideas and too much political baggage. I guess it is too much to believe a NEW party will emerge to sweep the, fraudulent politicians and proven thievery without penalties or recrimination out the door. We have to agree that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East but for Canada’s Prime Minister to grovel while allegedly representing the country without parliamentary approval is unCanadian and probably illegal.

Provincially the Ontario Liberals seem to rushing towards opposition status once more due to among other issues implementing the hated HST. Insiders and appointees regularly appear in the media accused of stealing from the government and indirectly from the taxpayer then sent away with big payoffs for being dishonest. We recently went to an OLG slots location and listened to people at the slot machines mumbling about the infrequency of winning. What would the gamblers expect when imbedded thieves are getting so much cash without spinning the dial? If there is a government change in the next Federal or Provincial election will it make a difference, or will only the faces and allegiance of those taking advantage of the system change? Any answers?

We listened to American President Barack Obama on Television’s 60 Minutes Sunday night. It is undoubtedly difficult to be a Liberal Democratic President in the United States. Obama must face a financial mess that was there before winning the office, an unwinnable war, terrorist threats against his country, the tradition of a population accustomed to living extravagantly while the bottom has fallen out of the economy, and a world trying to overthrow the life Americans and by default Canadians enjoy. The man has the ability the accept criticism and refrain from placing blame on others when under attack by the media and opposition. It will be interesting to discover if the party faithful can salvage another term out of the turmoil that seems to have weakened Obama’s presidency. I like the man and most of his politics, but then again since unaffected directly by his government direction and can’t vote anyway since I am not American the future will in the hands of the people of America.

I do not like what has been happening in the NHL for the past several years although I guess it is a matter of dollars and control. Last Saturday night’s results were discouraging to a country that claims hockey as its national sport. Every Canadian team in action lost its game. Would it not make more sense to put three more Canadian teams in the league, Winnipeg, Quebec and another southern Ontario or Maritimes team and have a Canadian east west and American east west division that play off similar to major league baseball. A better alternative might to be the addition of a half dozen European teams with a US east division playoff against the European team champion while the Canadian champions would playoff with the US western division champs. The winners of each of those playoff games meet to decide the Stanley Cup champions. The result would be a true world championship probably as popular in some quarters as the World Cup of soccer. The idea would have a difficult time making it through hockey boardrooms for a multitude of financial and other reasons. Would it not be an exciting alternative to the massive playoff s in those same divisions bringing hockey into this century as a worldwide sport?

November 4, 2010
It was so great to hear Tony Clement declare that Stephen Harper decided not to sell another Canadian resource to another country on the pretence it didn't matter to Canada's future. Of course, the door remains open to sell the Saskatchewan people's property within the next 30 days or longer. The only reason the potash company remained in Canadian ownership in fact was the possible loss of governing party seats needed to win a majority in the next election. We shall see what the future brings.

The Liberal party funding apparatus is telephoning every past and present donor trying to raise funds to finance the next election. Even dedicated past party faithful must be having a difficult time finding even a few dollars to support the cause. The party has not displayed the slightest indication that bringing it back to power with either a minority or majority would be anything more than the same old, same old Liberal politics. The amazing scenario of a malfunctioning Liberal Party and Conservatives that voters won’t trust is certainly foreign and sad for Canadians to endure. Where in heck are the real dynamic and cherished leaders hiding?

People watching the French language broadcast from Quebec are learning that big changes might be coming to rejuvenate the long-stalled sovereignty movement in the province. The door is open for Gilles Duceppe to lead the charge to independence after convincing the electorate another referendum would have better results than the 1995 squeaker. Maybe if the government funds a new NHL arena to house a Nordiques team in Quebec the rush to independence can be derailed again.

If the NDP was less dependent on militant labour unions and more business friendly as opposed to constantly championing the cause of the underdog, often the people not wanting to work, the seat count could gain ground. Labour parties in other nations are more flexible and with a personable leader like Jack Layton the New Democrats could probably make those needed gains and become the official opposition replacing the stale old Liberal Party.

Most Canadians like our American neighbors are tired of partisan politics with elected representatives chasing pensions and monetary benefits most people can only dream of latching onto without winning a major lottery prize. The Americans expressed displeasure at the situation during a recent rally then emphasized that displeasure by getting rid of a great many of the people hooked on the good life during the November 2nd election. Will Canadians ever react with more than tolerance towards the people that constantly take advantage from politicians to fraudsters and pretty criminals to the Bernardo and Williams killers?