Is Canada ready for war?
That’s the question we need to ask ourselves in light of the recent tragic deaths of those four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.
While the media reaction to those deaths was definitely “over the top” there is also no question they shocked the nation.
What is going to happen when more casualties occur in the weeks and months ahead? Is the country going to go into a constant state of national grieving?
Something has to give.
Either we must throw in the towel and surrender to terrorism, or we as a country have to get our heads around the fact that we are at war against a deadly opponent.
That means accepting the fact that in wars people die. It also means accepting the fact that this is a war we must win.
Canadian writer Rondi Adamson addressed this point in an article which recently appeared in the Christian Science Monitor.
Also see a good editorial on this in today’s National Post.
But it won’t be journalists who win over public support for the war.
That’s a job our leaders need to do.
About Me
- Gerry Nicholls
- Gerry Nicholls is a communications consultant and writer who has been called a “political warrior” a “brilliant strategist” and one of the “canniest political observers in Canada.” He has worked as a consultant in both the United States and Canada and was formerly a senior officer in the National Citizens Coalition. A regular columnist with the Ottawa Hill Times, his work has also appeared in the Globe and Mail, the National Post and in the Sun Media chain; and he has appeared on countless TV and radio public affairs programs. He is the author of the book, Loyal to the Core, Harper, Me and the NCC.
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5 comments:
At the moment with the exception of the NDP, the other three parties are all supportive of the mission. The Liberals are and even the Bloc Quebecois despite opposition being strongest in Quebec.
That being said many of us who oppose the mission do so since we see terrorism largely as a response to American foreign policy. That does not justify it since killing innocent civilians is wrong, but if both sides are wrong we would be best to stay out of the crossfire. Some say we have a duty to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Americans as an ally, but I personally don't buy that argument. We're a sovereign nation and no country is unconditionally our ally. All allies are conditional friends.
Mr. Lunn:
I am not always quick to support going off to war, but you best remind yourself that either we go after them or they come after us, at home, IN CANADA. The 'enemy is not the type of enemy we've faced before. They are very willing to kill themselves in order to kill us....and they don't seem to have any remorse for killing innocent civilians. I for one have no interest in waiting for them to attack us over here. 9/11 showed us all that we are vulnerable no matter where we live.
Its not so simple to write-off terrorism as a reaction to U.S. policies. It may have started off that way...but no longer. The genie is out of the bottle and we have to put it back or face the real 'war' you wish to avoid.
I disagree anonymous. I don't want Canada to be attacked and the way to prevent that is to not create hatred towards us in the Middle East. They hate the Americans because of their foreign policy which has killed thousands of innocent people in the Middle East. Now I don't condone terrorism, but we can only defeat it by understanding its root cause. It is their war, not our war, so we should stay out. I worry more about us getting attacked now than I would have if we had a foreign policy that emphasized greater opposition to US foreign policy.
Miles, U.S. foreign policy did NOT create Islamofascism. You can't really believe that. And I do hope you are not suggesting that we should decide Canada's foreign policy based on what we think may or may not upset Islamist lunatics.
US foreign policy didn't create Islamo-fascism, but it has contributed greatly to its widespread support in the Middle East. Every time the US attacks a poor defenceless Middle East country, recruiting more people to Al-Qaida just becomes that much easier. Lets remember Al-Qaida is not a fringe element in most Middle Eastern Countries, they have the support of many and in some cases the majority. Now I don't buy the argument Middle Eastern people are any more backwards than any other nation. In fact I believe they are driven by the same things everyone is and only turn to Al-Qaida out of desperation.
Its not a matter of pleasing Al-Qaida, so much as US foreign policy is wrong, it goes against everything Canada stands for and we should not betray our values just to be friends with the Americans. We should stay true to who we are even if it offends the Americans. Whether you right wingers like it or not, we are different, very different.
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