Questioning why we are there
Letters, June 23
It is stated that the oppression of the Afghans is "none of our business." Apparently, oppressed people have in the past used "revolution to rid themselves of tyrants." I think the Rwandans and the Sudanese of Darfur would disagree.
Anyway, the United Nations-sanctioned, U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan was accomplished with the majority of troops coming from our Afghan allies, known as the Northern Alliance. So, the change did not come from outside the country but from within. As for the Soviet invasion, Soviet troops were fighting against the Afghans to impose a foreign "godless" system on a Muslim population.
Canadian troops are fighting with the Afghans to rid their country of a foreign "Arab" presence represented by the Taliban and Al Qaeda. We are not trying to make the Afghans just "like us." But I do think stability, good government, education for all, electricity and clean water are universal values.
Finally, it is also stated that we should fear no invasion from Afghanistan, so fighting to secure that country makes no sense. Unfortunately, 9/11 showed there is much to fear from a failed state that harbours terrorists. An invasion can be accomplished with a box cutter and an airline ticket.
Brian Cybulski, Toronto
No comments:
Post a Comment