So what does the 18 billion get us.
1) Over 2 thirds of Afghans in Kandahar province want us gone.
2) Whether it be by Al Qaeda (see there warnings related to the Afghan mission) or by homegrown terrorists (see the Toronto 18), Canada is more likely to be attacked.
3) The misssion poises a threat to national unity. Indeed, a terrorist attack, inspired by Canada 's presence in Afghanistan, might revitalize the Quebec’s separatist movement, especially if Quebec is the victim. Currently the Afghan mission is opposed by 70% of Quebecers. If Quebecers die as a result of us being there, the separatists will use it as a reason why Quebecers need their own country with its own foreign policy.
4) An attack would set back race relations in Canada and hamper our ability to sustain the high levels of immigration needed to combat an aging population.
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While there is reasonable debate that the Afghan mission has been a "boondoggle" your arguements are disturbing.
We cannot as a nation make defense policy on the consideration that deaths of soldiers from one part of the country should be a greater concern than from another.You may not belive that but it is clearly implied.
Canada is a target whether we are in Afghan. or not. Turning the other cheek will not work.
"Canada is a target whether we are in Afghan. or not. Turning the other cheek will not work."
Everytime you step in the car there is chance you will get into an accident. However, that does not mean it makes no differance whether we drive 50 km or 160 km.
We need to vigilant no matter what yes. However it is intellectually dishonest to suggest that Canada's presense in Afghanistan does not make it much more likely that we will be attacked.
"We cannot as a nation make defense policy on the consideration that deaths of soldiers from one part of the country should be a greater concern than from another."
Some pundits have floated this line. However, there has been a number of Quebecers killed in Afghanistan and I have not seen any evidence to suggest that it has had an impact on public opinion.
Anyway you are avoiding the issue. Make no mistake if the Montreal subway is bombing and motivation for the attack was the mission, there would be huge uptake in support for separatism. The PQ and Bloc will argue that the bombing is proof that Quebec needs its own foreign policy.
Canada will always be a target to Islamic terrorists because we are a friend and ally of the United States and we are not an Islamic state.
I would be just as happy if we quit Afghan altogether, cut off aid, prohibited immigration from there. If the Afghans don't want us there, then they can continue their medieval lifestyle, keeping their women in bags and do it without our money.
"Canada will always be a target to Islamic terrorists because we are a friend and ally of the United States and we are not an Islamic state."
They do not speak with one voice, some are domestic others foreign and there are all kinds of different groups. Of course, we can never let down our guard. However, you are kidding yourself if you think that our being there does not make it more likely that we will be attacked.
Besides the specific threats and the case of Toronto 18, there is tons of "chatter" related foreign policy of this or that country.
The notion they attack western targets because they "hate our freedoms" is actually pretty funny. There is almost always something driving them and evidence suggests it is more often than not foreign policy.
"If the Afghans don't want us there, then they can continue their medieval lifestyle, keeping their women in bags and do it without our money."
Afghanistan is not country any western sense of the term. Outside of the major cities, for example, the central government has no control. There is no state in other words. It should come as no surprise that it really depends what ethnic group you talking about, whether you are talking about an urbanite or someone living in small village, or what province. There are 4 provinces were they want the west out. Kandahar is one of them.
The main reason they want us out is simple. They know there is sizable number of the Pastun population that will never accept our being there and so long as we are there there will be fighting. They want peace. Another reason they want use out is that 50% of Afghanistan's GDP is the drug related and the West, the US in particular, has not looked to kindly on how many people make their living.
By the way, I do not know of any Afghan terrorists.
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