Harold Jarche, who has a habit of making me think and debate myself, commented on yesterday’s rant. His comment was, as always, well thought out and engaging. Thus I’m using a part of it to springboard into today’s post:

However, it is up to the Canadian public to continue to engage our elected officials in a real debate about where we should use military force (not just because it’s UN-sanctioned) and what size and type of a force we need to maintain.Neither blindly supporting our troops nor blindly waving the peacekeeping flag will help us or our soldiers in the long run. Soldiers and civilians must clearly understand what we are fighting for and how it is in our national interest. There’s a lot of learning left to do.

I’ll admit, I am going to tend to side with the “blindly supporting our troops” when the government sends them somewhere because I’ve got a personal connection with those we’re sending overseas. I’m a military spouse and come packaged with all the bias that entails. However, that doesn’t mean that we don’t discuss why we’re there, what it appears we’re trying to do, and whether or not we think it’ll make any difference on a global scale in the long run at our dinner table and around our backyard fire pit.

I guess my concern comes from the fact that people don’t really seem to be debating. Those I’m exposed to (face-to-face) seem to just be randomly stating that troops should be removed – no ifs, ands or buts about it – or that we need to switch focus to peacekeeping because “it’s what we’re known for“. It’s been my experience that if I attempt a debate or any form of f2f discussion on this topic, no one seems to have formulated any alternative suggestions to deal with the situation in the middle east (or anywhere else we’re involved for that matter).

Sure, we need to engage politicians (elected and not) in debate about the current state and future plans of the CF. I just don’t see the calls for troop withdrawls or a switch to peacekeeping as a debate. Perhaps I’m blinded by my close connection to the CF, but it’s not a debate if the argument is made up of “because I said so” or “because that’s what we’re good at” statements. Those calling for change need to be able to articulate an argument as much as those who support the current actions in Afghanistan are expected to.

Debate is a necessity. We need to be questioning why we’re there and where we see ourselves going. We also need to delve deeper into our understanding and definitions of ourselves (individually and as citizens in a global sphere) and how these mental models are impacted by both what we say and do. If we’re not questioning things, then we’re not doing anyone any use.

Technorati Tags: peacekeeping, canadian forces, debate

Earlier today, I came across a Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute article titled “Deprogramming the cult of peace” and written by Mark Entwistle. While I’d encourage everyone to read the complete article, I think particular attention needs to be paid to the following paragraph:

The idea of peace is dangerous because it is an enabler. It allows us to underestimate the hard work required to earn success in confronting conflict, and a safe haven to hide from reality. It is a distraction because it leads us to false conclusions on the basis of something that does not exist. While we wait for peace, conflict steeps. The greatest threat to any chance of managing our way out of conflict is the idea that peace just happens by willing it.

As I wrote previously, anytime a member of the CF dies in Afghanistan lately, someone – often a politician – is given media time and attention where they decry the combat role of our troops. While I suspect that combat isn’t exactly what Mr. Entwistle has in mind when he writes of the need for conflict management on a global scale, I don’t think the increasing calls for pulling out of the current mission in Afghanistan or a shift to the traditional peacekeeping activities (as understood by members of the general public) is in the best interests of Canada.

Which makes me wonder why questions aren’t being asked of those clamouring for a return to the glory days of Canadian peacekeeping or the removal of troops from Afghanistan? Why isn’t anyone focusing on how these recent calls for peace, peacekeeping or removal of Canadian troops from theatre have not been accompanied by any sort of suggestion or roadmap for obtaining this elusive “peace”? Who in these groups have an outline for how one can possibly mount a successful peacekeeping mission in the midst of an armed conflict?

If they’ve got a better plan, I’d love to see it. If it’s logical, I’d likely support it. However, if we don’t have any plans in place and jump willy-nilly onto the “Canadian soldiers are peacekeepers” bandwagon, we’re back to deluding ourselves.

I’ll admit I do tend to rant a bit about the fact that some Canadians seem to be willing to don their rose coloured glasses and chant the mantra of “Canada, the dedicated peacekeeper and referee on a world stage”. People seem to bandy statements of this nature around in newspapers and opinion pieces, but in recent years this has been a far cry from an accurate representation of the facts. Even worse, Canadians have been known to sit back on a high horse and judge other countries and cultures harshly without being willing to look closely at ourselves. It’s time to remind ourselves that those sitting in glass houses shouldn’t be throwing stones…

It’s time to reconsider Canada’s place in the world stage and our impression of ourselves. Many citizens of recent generations are – to borrow a phrase from Top Gun – writing cheques we can’t cash on bank accounts started by Canadian soldiers in the first and second world wars. If we’re not willing to support the current mission in Afghanistan, maybe it’s time for Canada and our “peace loving citizens” to take a step forward and finally (publically) acknowledge our growing lack of relevance and moral superiority on the world stage.

h/t owed to Darcy over at Dust My Broom for pointing out Marc Entwistle’s article.

Technorati Tags: peacekeeping, canadian forces

A few days back I was ranting about the need to support our troops, the PRT (provincial reconstruction team) and the Afghanistan mission in general. Today over at rants of a former guttergirl, there’s a beautiful post (titled Red Fridays – sorry, I can’t find a perma-link to it) containing a description of Cdn Forces members leaving Trenton, On.

Peacekeeping Day is commemorated tomorrow, August 9th. You can access the .pdf host kit and learn more about it.

Technorati Tags: canadian forces, peacekeeping, support our troops

I’m pro-military. There are lots of decisions made by our politicians that I disagree with but those decisions don’t colour my opinions of the members of the Candian Forces. You can’t marry and live with someone who believes their job in the Canadian Forces is a calling and not believe in the need for, necessity and mission of our soldiers.

These past few weeks have been hard. We’ve lost a number of soldiers due to road side bombings and accidents. Many of the deceased were stationed at our base. Those lost are members of our extended family – those who chose to serve – whether or not we knew them personally.

As I read the newspaper, online articles and watch the news, I’m disheartened by the continual emphasis by the media outlets to the opinions of politicians and citizens who support either 1) bringing our troops home or 2) changing their mandate to peacekeeping and infrastructure building instead of combat. Some of the people with this attitude have never met a member of our Canadian Forces. They’ve never spoken to a soldier or members of their families. I am astounded at the knee-jerk reaction and naivete of these individuals and do not believe that equal time or opportunity to speak is being provided to those who offer an opposing view and support the current mission.

If we are unwilling to fight to protect citizens in Afghanistan – where we have been invited and continually requested to stay and assist by the current Afghani government and sanctioned by the UN – then how can anyone possibly expect a Canadian soldier to successfully build infrastructure (roads, schools, homes, water plants, etc.) that will not be immediately destroyed? If we pull our troops home due to the harsh realities of combat, how can we honestly hold out heads up in public – either locally or in an international venue – and claim to care about womens’ rights, the tenants of democracy and freedom?

It is as if we have forgotten:

“War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.”

–John Stuart Mill

I like to think I’m not blood-thirsty nor clouded by any desire or love of war. I like to think my opinion is founded on logic and an intimate knowledge of the sacrifice entailed for our soldier to perform their current mandate. At minimum, I’ve spent many hours considering both sides of the coin, knowing that this is not some strangers’ son that I’m willing to put on the line in order to see the mandate carried out. It is my family who is directly affected when I say I support our troops and their current actions in Afghanistan.

I am not writing in hopes of gaining political ground or with rose coloured glasses firmly in place. I understand the sacrifice I am asking others to make in order to attempt to bring long lasting stability and peace to this war-torn region. I understand that we may make that sacrifice ourselves.

To the families of those who have fallen recently, I can only extend my sympathies. I will not pretend to know what you are going through. What I do know is that many of our CF members in theatre and out believe in what they have been asked to do. They believe in the mission. We should never stop believing in them.

Soft winds, gentle landings. Pro Patria.

Technorati Tags: Kandahar, Afghanistan, Canadian Forces, Soldiers

It’s with heavy heart that I learned of the passing of two injured RCMP officers in Spiritwood, SASK today. By all accounts they were amazingly generous people who served their community well.