Cornwall ON – Finally, some people are coming to their senses in regards to the ongoing war in Afghanistan- a war that has always been illegal because Afghanistan was never a threat to any foreign country, and therefore should never have been attacked and occupied.
Senator Colin Kenney, in a special article to the Ottawa Citizen dispels most of the myths that the public has been swallowing for the past 9 years, and urges an immediate withdrawal of Canadian forces, and by implication, all NATO troops from Afghanistan.
The Conservatives and their Liberal predecessors have made a colossal mistake in funding a war that will never be won, and have spent billions of taxpayer dollars in military spending including costly equipment and deployment.
One hundred and fifty Canadian families have lost their loved ones fighting overseas, and for what? The rallying cry of “Support our Troops” is the biggest propaganda stunt Canada has been involved in since WW2- a war funded by Wall Street and the Rockefellers.
The slogan doesn’t address the insanity of fighting a war that has got progressively worse since 2001 with no end in sight. In effect, people are being mind controlled to support war and to refuse peaceful solutions.
Wars are good for business so when our American neighbor ramps up the pressure, we fall for it. Thank God former Prime Minister Jean Chretien kept us out of Iraq or that would be more tax money wasted and more lives lost. The present Conservative government is now dropping hints saying they would be open to a discussion about staying in Iraq after 2011, but this is once again giving in to the Americans.
There are a few basic things about Afghanistan that Canadians need to know. First of all, Afghanistan has never been effectively governed, even when imperialist powers first occupied the country under Great Britain.
It is a country of diverse tribal communities that do not want a central government or foreigners controlling them, or enforcing them to conform to western values. The Taliban attracts local people whose wish is to drive the foreigners out of Afghanistan. Afghani civilians agree with them. We are not wanted. Period.
Two things are keeping NATO and the Americans there: firstly, the strategic position that Afghanistan holds in connecting oil pipelines and routes throughout the country into Pakistan; and secondly, to keep hundreds of other infrastructure and military contractors, and security contractors such as Blackwater, in business. If huge profits are made by the American contractors, then a big chunk of those greenbacks is targeted to the ruling party at the next presidential election. That’s the way the system works.
There are atrocities being committed in a quite a few African countries and genocides taking place every year, but we never hear much about them. But if oil, gas, gold, silver or any other “wealth” would be discovered there, the U.S. and NATO would be all over these countries. Bottom line, it’s not about women’s rights or building schools, it’s about the money and it’s about profits. And most certainly it has nothing to do with loss of life, because if it were, how would the United States justify the killing of close to 2 million Iraqis since the first Gulf War. What sort of a label can we put on that?
The second thing Canadians need to know is that 87% of the world’s heroin supply comes out of Afghanistan and according to some reports illicit drugs are massive in the creation of global wealth. Heroin is in the same league as oil, and some researchers say this drug is the second or third largest contributor to GDP in the world!
So, what does all of this tell us? Remember that the Taliban was the only government in Afghanistan that put an immediate stop to the cultivation of poppy fields and the production of heroin prior to 9/11, and since the Americans took over, the production of heroin has exploded each year.
Do a search on Youtube and you’ll find NATO troops stationed by the fields and if you think they are eradicating the poppy fields, look more closely. The soldiers are protecting the crops because the government is very much involved in the drug trade to fund the billions of dollars needed for war. Deals with warlords are being made, and fields are being protected. The whole thing is a terrible and shameful racket.
The bloodshed and the loss of life on both sides must stop. Corruption and crime will always be the way of life in Afghanistan as long as drugs and oil continue to produce wealth in the way they are doing. The entire war in Afghanistan should be viewed as an act of terrorism by all of the countries that are participating in it.
As Noam Chomsky stated: “If we want to stop terrorism we have to stop participating in it.” And that means saying “no” to the oil companies, other multinational companies, and the drug cartels that pressure our governments to participate.
We need to get back to our peaceful roots in Canada, return to our peacekeeping status of ten years ago, and encourage other countries to join us.
Let’s ensure that our next government in waiting signs a pledge to refuse to participate in foreign wars, except in a peacekeeping capacity as existed in the past. If the party leader doesn’t sign the pledge, then voters agree not to elect him or her.
Isn’t that what we want?
If you don’t behind our soldiers then stand in front of them you coward..You do not see that they fight and protect what is good and humane for all people regardless of religion or other practices…..!
They are not our government.! They are just our neighbors,friends and family. Talk to any of them and get the real story.. .
Henry Laning:
Do you know what plagiarism is and its implications for the plagiarist? Except for the ugly taunt at its end, your opening sentence plagiarizes the statement of a veteran as reported in the national news on Tuesday.
Ease up PJR. Yeah, he didn’t say it first but neither did the Veteran
What implications? He is submitting an opinion on a news website. He is not passing it off as his own or trying to make money off of it.
I think you should get your facts straight before you start accusing someone of being a plagiarist.
If you check with Admin you will find out that my article was sent to the Cornwall Free News on August 12, 2010, so it is impossible that I could have plagiarized something you claim to have been reported on the news just two days ago.
Your accusation of plagiarism is entirely false. If you disagree with the article then say so and give your reasons, but don’t try to discredit my integrity as a writer.
Unfortunately a lot of people get swept up in their emotions brought on by “Support our Troops” and the argument degenerates into an argument about who is brave and who is not.
This is how government manipulates entire countries to support war, regardless of the suffering and death on both sides. If you support the war then give your reasons for sending Canadian soldiers into harms way, and to what end?
Also, what do you expect to happen at the war in the end, or will it be an endless war like we are seeing in Iraq? Over 2,000,000 Iraqis, including many civilians, woman and children have been killed since Gulf War 1 in 1990. Has the war been worth that catastrophic loss of life? And is an American life worth more than an Iraqi life?
War is never the answer. Look at Vietnam and the number of casualties who were slaughtered on both sides before the Americans finally came to their senses.
I think the NDP got it right in the last election when they said: “Support our Troops and Bring them Home.”
We need to find peaceful solutions to world problems and differences, or in fact we will end up with a century of endless wars.
Do these posters READ?
Standup: Nowhere does Henry Laning credit the source of his opening sentence. Easily done, if Henry had posted, as a Veteran said yesterday, “If you don’t get behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them.” Failure to credit your source is straight-out plagiarism.
Kevin: Where do you get the idea that you are being accused of plagiarism?.
BTW Kevin, I like your article, it’s great, full of good sense. Your last post, too.
Yeah PJR I did read your post. I also acknowledged that he wasn’t the first one to say it and by implication I meant that maybe he should have credited the source but I also mentioned that the Veteran who said it also didn’t credit the source either. In fact I have seen that slogan on a few bumper stickers for a few years now. I just did a quick google search and it is also the name of a facebook group. I can’t find the original source so who exactly are they plagiarizing?
They are not doing it for monetary gain or to gain recognition or to claim the idea as their own so what are they getting out of it but to make a point. As I stated…ease up. Feel free to disagree with the comment but don’t make accusations.
Kevin, in defense of PJR he was accusing a poster of plagiarism.
Now, to get to the matter at hand which is the article in question this is a tough subject which brings out a lot of passion on both sides of the issue.
Kevin, I applaud your stance on peace and I agree that there should be better ways to deal with conflicts and I wished we lived in a world where there was no war. Sadly, wishing just doesn’t make it so. I don’t like the war but I like the atrocities committed by the Taliban regime and the threat of terrorism far less.
I also support all troops in the work that they are doing but by saying that I am not saying that I support this war or any war. I have heard stories from my friends who are serving that would make anyone come to tears…
The Iraq war is a joke…weapons of mass destruction…pft…but many people who I have spoken to in the service talk about the good that is being done in Afghanistan. Is it perfect? Not even close. Is their progress slow? You bet. Are we losing lives? Yes, sadly we are. Is big business making money out of this? Yup. But are we willing to let the Taliban continue with their atrocities? It’s not up to me to decide and frankly I’m glad its not because this is such an issue that tears a person apart.
I also agree completely with Kevin’s piece. The invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan were both in the works long before those guys, who couldn’t fly, piloted those large planes with unbelievable precision into those buildings on 9/11. Unfortunately Canada got sucked into the invasion of Afghanistan because of our NATO commitment. As far as the whole “support our troops” things go, it’s getting a little tiresome. They voluntarily sign up, get paid, and do what our government tells them to do. The fact that it’s an impossible mission doesn’t seem to matter to them. You’d think that anyone volunteering to invade a foreign country would at least read up on the history of that country, and how previous invasion attempts worked out. That pipeline that the Cheney/Bush crime family dreamed about isn’t going to happen any time soon.
It is hard to imagine a less propitious start to an argument than a tired and nonsensical cliché like “If you don’t stand behind our soldiers, then stand in front of them” — especially since civilians standing in front of coalition troops are, too often, all too prone to “friendly fire”
Perhaps if we were to invite the troops to stand behind us, they would be spending weekends with their loved ones and we wouldn’t have to keep winning this war — it’s been 6 or 7 years running now, just how long can we afford to keep winning, and shouldn’t someone tell the losers?
Too many Candians blinded by who knows what, or just plain ignorant of history, haven’t noticed that foreigners don’t do well in civil wars, especially in Afghanistan (where the enemy has one foot in the cave, and our friends have one foot in another).
Whatever best intentions we have, when it’s over, for Afghanistans it will be “same sh*t, different day”, A lot of folks here at home simply won’t believe the corruption there and here, that fuels this waste of life and effort.
And if I may address the tired argument that usually accompanies the earlier mentioned tired cliché …that to stop now is to make our losses, all in vain. With the death of each American mother’s son in Vietnam, someone was preaching that the death would be in vain if “we” didn’t continue – “we”, presumably, was someone else’s son. But lo and behold, after 57,000 sons, it was in vain after all.
Today, another war props up another corrupt administration, and another mindless challenge is now thrown out to Canadians, to “stay the course” – as though offering up more sons and fathers, or mothers and daughters is somehow reasonable.
Maybe it’s time to put aside some of the clichés and THINK!
PJR, I am sorry that I misinterpreted your comment on plagiarism, which was not intended for me. I need to get on the Web a little more often. Thank you for your comments.
The present Conservative government is now dropping hints saying they would be open to a discussion about staying in Iraq after 2011, but this is once again giving in to the Americans.
– Canada is not in Iraq
“One hundred and fifty Canadian families have lost their loved ones fighting overseas, and for what?”
– they died so to give the Afghans a chance to get their act together.
“The rallying cry of “Support our Troops” is the biggest propaganda stunt Canada has been involved in since WW2- a war funded by Wall Street and the Rockefellers.”
-A war funded by Wall Street? Are you aware the war started before the US entered the war? Where are you getting your facts?
“The bloodshed and the loss of life on both sides must stop. Corruption and crime will always be the way of life in Afghanistan as long as drugs and oil continue to produce wealth in the way they are doing. The entire war in Afghanistan should be viewed as an act of terrorism by all of the countries that are participating in it.”
– I think this is totally out of line.
There are atrocities being committed in a quite a few African countries and genocides taking place every year, but we never hear much about them. But if oil, gas, gold, silver or any other “wealth” would be discovered there, the U.S. and NATO would be all over these countries.
– Really? There is no oil or other wealth in the Republic of Congo?
Let’s ensure that our next government in waiting signs a pledge to refuse to participate in foreign wars, except in a peacekeeping capacity as existed in the past. If the party leader doesn’t sign the pledge, then voters agree not to elect him or her.
– Really? What makes peacekeeping so much better? Do you think there is no combat in peacekeeping? Have you ever heard of the battle of Medak Pocket?
My pleasure, Kevin. Your piece is right on the money.
Point taken, Standup.
Absolutely, City Man: in fact, more THINKING in Kevin’s article and on this thread than in the job lot of politicians we have posing as government and opposition.
Late summer read recommendation everyone: “The March of Folly” by Barbara Tuchman, especially her chapter on Vietnam.
This article makes a lot of sense.
The only part that i have to disagree with is the allussion to World War II. There’s no doubt that businesses profited greatly from the War, and it virtually saved the American economy. However, was Hitler working for Rockefeller and Wall Street?
I think if you went through history trying to find a war that was justifable, you wouldn’t find better than WWII.
But aside from that I think we’ll all be glad to stand behind our troops when they are at home safe and not dying for some ideals that they and the rest of us don’t really understand.
Afghanistan broke the back of Russia for resources, and now the US with our help is dumb enogh to try and do the same thing.
Some interesting facts though,
When the Soviets were in the area we supported the Mujahideen, and supplied them with all the weapons needed to hold back the ruskies. Now they have all of a sudden become a terrorist group and are killing our kids with the same weapons we provided them with to beat the Soviets.
That is kind of interesting no? Then a question arises, when is one considered a freedom fighter and when is one considered a terrorist? And who makes that call??
Why all of a sudden is there talk of a shift, we come home and leave the US to work the magic, or coup. This following the discovery of large mineral deposits in the Pamir Mountains, something the US has been trying to control forever. Oddly enough a country which is all but broke has a ecological disaster by the same major supply company that provides their military with petrochemical products. They earn huge amounts of revenue in fines and fees and the company shares drop which will affect the price of crude to their clients. Market stimulus or military financing?
Then we have possible stealing of the countries natural resource.
I am not sure how factual this article is but it seems to have sound logic
http://www.orwelltoday.com/waterafghanistan.shtml
Water, has anyone ever considered how much water we send to all the troops in the battle areas? What about food? and for what some presidents fantasy of weapons of mass destruction?
Nostradamus claimed the world would see the beginning of it’s demise begin in the oldest regions of civilization, by a man not of that country and he will be wearing a blue hat. Yep the blue hat thing sounds a lil baked but it is one of his predictions.
This man definitely suits the criteria of the UN and what our troops are a big part of.
Just some food for thought
“-A war funded by Wall Street? Are you aware the war started before the US entered the war? Where are you getting your facts? “”However, was Hitler working for Rockefeller and Wall Street? ”
No, but American corporations were working for Hitler…Ford was building trucks, ITT was building both bombs and Focke Wulfs (fighter planes), and Standard Oill was supplying oil. At the same time, the American government was supplying the Brirsh miltary with war materials via the lend-lease act. This was all done at tremendous profit to American corporations. Another interesting fact to consider: at the start of the war in 1939 the US had the 17th largest military in the world, ranking behind Romania. Imagine the capital it required to ramp that number up, as the size of their military increased by approxiamately 44 times by the time they entered the fray (officially).
And all you have to do is look at the Pentagon’s budget today to see the impact and control the military industry has on it as a country. That’s why it’s so upsetting to see billions spend on Fighter Planes that most likely will not be used much if at all for their purpose while hospital beds are needed or even basics for the Navy don’t get filled.
It’s all about the deal and who’s either getting one or not getting one.
And don’t forget IBM’s contribution to NAZI Germany and extermination of Jews along with the personal cooperation by IBM founder Thomas Watson, who cooperated with the Nazis for the sake of profit.
And there’s big Joe Kennedy Sr. who in true capitalistic opportunist form didn’t mind switching allegiances according to the flow of money and power.
Ford built trucks for Hitler *lol* maybe in the super man novels,
At that time it was Mercedes, Opel and Honamag. As time progressed they came up with the infamous peoples transprt, known today as Volkswagen.
Perhaps if you were there Rodney you could get your facts in order.
Yeah, we got sucked in. We’ve made mistakes before, lets make it better by leaving.
And don’t forget Hugo Boss who made uniforms for the Nazi’s.