EDITORIAL

Afghanistan War: is it over?

There is a glaring omission from the discussions of the withdrawal of combat forces from Afghanistan—Canada has not actually left the country.

In fact, the deployment of almost 1,000 troop trainers is one of the largest Canadian forces deployments since the Second World War.

The Harper government, in an attempt to find a more palatable war for the increasingly war-weary population, is hoping to pull a fast one. They have told us many times that this “new phase” in the war will be very different from the combat role. This is smoke and mirrors.

They tell us that troops will not be in harm’s way—forgetting that there has been a huge increase, not only of resistance attacks in Kabul—the alleged safe haven—but also of the dozens of troop trainers who have been killed by their trainees over the past few years.

They tell us that we need to remain there to finish the job of providing the new Afghan state with security. failing to mention that it is one of the most corrupt regimes on the planet.

The specific role of the Canadian forces doesn’t matter. Whether in combat or in training, Canada is working against the wishes of the Afghan people, who are looking for real democracy not the rule of warlords.

So why the lies? Because Canada’s real interests in Afghanistan are rarely discussed. NATO countries, led by the US, see Afghanistan as a key to controlling the Central Asian region both militarily and economically. Canada wants a piece of that pie and keeping troops in the country keeps the door open for business. The war for control of the country is not over and Canada, despite what our politicians say, is still playing a key role.