Thursday, July 2, 2009 2:57 PM
Where's Canada?
Norman Spector
Today’s New York Times and Washington Post both front news of a massive U.S. military offensive in Afghanistan, the Obama Administration’s highest foreign policy priority. Operation Khanjar, involving nearly 4,000 U.S. Marines in Helmland province, is seen as the first test of President Obama’s new counterinsurgency strategy.
Helmland province, which is adjacent to Kandahar where Canadian troops are serving, has been the responsibility of British forces; they, too, have paid a dear price in blood, and have little progress to show for their efforts.
Yet, rather than pulling out their combat troops - as our MPs have decided - the Brits are still debating whether to increase their military commitment in Afghanistan, as are the Americans.
Canadians have never had a satisfactory explanation of why our troops are in Afghanistan - neither under the Liberals nor under the Conservatives. Near as I can make out, the Liberals ramped up our commitment to that country after deciding not to go to war in Iraq, in order to stay in the Americans’ good books. How ironic that, if and when the Obama Administration comes calling and is met with a firm nyet - as now seems likely - Canada will have gained sparse political credit in the U.S. from the sacrifices borne by young Canadian men and women.
