It's Not Easy. It's Just Right!

The brother of my son's girlfriend is currently stationed in Kandahar. Contributing to our ongoing concern is the fact that, not only is Michael performing in the field (most notably the Panjawaii theatre), but his fiancee, Sarah, is stationed in Kandahar at the main base.

It's difficult to write about. It's difficult to talk about.

For them, though, it's difficult work in a difficult place at a difficult time.

I hear people say it's a war we can't win.

"A war we can't win".... "A war we can't win".....

The words resonate within me. And I begin to seethe.

One: I've never heard of any such thing as a "popular" war. It has and always will be a LAST RESORT in international affairs. It comes as no surprise to me that there is an everpresent contingent of peacenicks that will always demonstrate against the very notion of military activity. But the purpose of this mission is to establish stability in that country and give Afghans their country back after years of oppressive Taliban rule.

Two: "A war we can't win". So, just cut and run. Leave it all to the locals who want and need us there to do the right thing, albeit the difficult thing. The defeatism is deafening sometimes.
Worse, it really sounds so very self-serving. "If I can't win, I won't play!" It's the tone and attitude of a generation that have enjoyed all the spoils of a giving democracy and have never known hardship; certainly not the kind being experienced by Afghan locals. It's the sound of selfishness bred by success and prosperity of the new "me" society.

Yesterday's National Post had a story about an Afghan Ambassador's wife.

"Everywhere I go in Canada," Mrs. Samad says, "I get asked: 'What's going on with the women and children?' 'Do Canada's 2,200 soldiers really make a difference?' And then there are people who come up to me and say: 'Aren't our soldiers killing innocent civilians?' 'Don't you hate us?!'

"And I tell them: 'Absolutely not.' If you were to take a poll in Afghanistan, 95% of the people -- or even higher -- desperately want Canadians there, want the other international coalition there. They realize how important it is because they've gone through 23 years of war, and they don't want the Taliban returning."

Three: We can all dislike war. We can all dislike agression. We can all prefer Canada's role in the world as that of "peacekeeper". But before there is any peace to KEEP, we better get busy making some. In order to do that, we're going to get a little dirty because the enemy adheres to no rules of engagement and shares no common value for human life.

It's not an easy thing. It's just the right thing.

Godspeed, Garbi. But "git'erdun"!!!