The war in Afghanistan is not going well. The UN-mandated NATO-led mission to help the Afghan people achieve peace and stability is not likely to ever succeed. It is costly and more important Canada has lost too many lives on the foreign soils of this complicated war front. Having Canada and the United States engaged in this conflict is troubling in other ways. The President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, is burdened by his own corruption and yet we are somehow forced to accommodate him. Hamid Karzai is using Canada and other nations for his own agenda and his loyalties can turn on a dime.
Why Stephen Harper invited Hamid Karzai to address the House of Commons is an interesting question. I suppose it was believed entertaining one more loose cannon wouldn’t make much difference. Karzai has also dragged the United States into entertaining a visit for the sole purpose of stroking his ego to keep him on side.
The effort and sacrifice of our troops in Afghanistan, answering the call of duty placed on them by their government, is both remarkable and appreciated. Was this a conflict we should never have entered? Have we made a sustainable difference in Afghanistan? Is it now time to get out of Afghanistan? These are questions the Canadian people must answer and for our government to act accordingly.
