Afghanistan: Should We Stay or Should We Go?

Six Canadian soldiers died from a bomb today in Afghanistan. It's an absolute tragedy and my heart pours out to the friends & family members of these brave men.

This event has renewed the discussion of whether we should stay in Afghanistan or go ... immediately. I've recently started watching a 9 part documentary (18 hours in total) on the American Civil War. Today it occurred to me that there's a strong parallel between the two wars.

The answer to whether we should stay or go is completely determined by one's perspective. Amongst Canadians there is a wide spectrum of people's opinions, all of whom will answer according to their own "truth". From the conversations around me, I have little doubt that a great many Vancouverites firmly believe that: 9/11 was perpetrated by the U.S. government and the recent attacks on British soil were orchestrated by MI-6. Such people further believe that Canadians have no business helping other people in the world if it means that our soldiers have to fire even one shot. Their overriding belief is that if we leave terrorists alone then they'll leave us alone.

I happen to believe something very different. I have this crazy notion that Islamic fundamentalist terrorism is the greatest threat facing us today. Afghanistan was an open training ground for such terrorists and they were actively exporting their hateful beliefs around the world; not just through words but frequently through attacks. 9/11 was a clear wake-up call for all Canadians of what was sure to be arriving in our land one day, but clearly many in our country had their blinders on and their alarm clocks turned off.

Today is July 4th, the birthday of the United States of America. 146 years ago our American neighbours started a 5-year long war amongst themselves to determine if the black people in their country would be given freedom or remain forever as slaves. While there has been no slavery per say in Afghanistan, no Canadian can honestly say that they would prefer to live under a dictatorial Taliban regime. How so many Canadians can so effortlessly detach themselves from the aspirations of freedom of the people of Afghanistan is a psychological feat well beyond my abilities.