Tuesday, December 12, 2006
"Non-Confidence" on Afghanistan
The Conservative government of Stephen Harper might fall on the issue of Afghanistan. The leader of the Bloc Quebecois is threatening a non-confidence motion on Afghanistan when parliament resumes after the Christmas break. The other parties are making noises about supporting the motion, in which case the minority government will fall.
The issue concerns the role of Canadian forces in Afghanistan. Is this a war that can be won? Is too much effort being paid to search-and-destroy missions against the insurgents and not enough to rebuilding?
I don't think Canada belongs in a country where the citizens don't want us. A country that's controlled by opium warlords who are little better than the Taliban. A country where thousands of insurgents enjoy safe haven in Pakistan. I hope the motion passes and we get out as soon as possible.
I don't think Canada belongs in a country where the citizens don't want us.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't the same be said of the Quebecois?
Yes.
ReplyDeleteThe government has been threatened by the Bloc with all sorts of things, like correcting the fiscal imbalance. But with respect to Afghanistan, I doubt the government would actually fall on that; the Liberals would most likely split on the issue, but the Afghanistan mission isn't the albatross the Liberals are looking for (considering the fact that the Liberals initiated the mission, and many of them voted with the Conservatives to extend the mission). And even if parliament decides to withdraw our troops, it would be difficult because of our NATO commitments; someone would have to fill the void. And given the reluctant response that other members of NATO have given to sending any troops to anywhere dangerous in Afghanistan...
ReplyDeleteI agree that the politics are tricky for the Liberals but this is a chance for them to come clean and admit they made a mistake.
ReplyDeleteWe have NATO commitments, but it doesn't extend to being the fall guy for our NATO allies. If most of them don't want to step up to the plate and sacrifice their own soldiers in Kandahar then prehaps we should ask ourselves why. Maybe they're right? Maybe we're the suckers?
The Taliban recently took out a (male) schoolteacher and "punished" him for teaching girls to read, write, etc ... they disembowelled him ALIVE then part-slit his throat, and finalyy pulled him apart using four motorbikes.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot leave that sort of evil walking around, I'm afraid .....
Who put you in charge of what the people of Afghanistan should or should not tolerate? Do you live there?
ReplyDelete