Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Try to keep letters to fewer than 150 words. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com
..............................................................................................................
Canada's struggle
After Paris, with the positions of the U.S., Russia, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia beginning to converge on the future of Syria, Canada could play a real rather than largely rhetorical role in the struggle against Islamic State, one that will take money and determination (PM To Deploy More Military Trainers In Bid To Reshape Role In IS Mission – Nov. 18).
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should leave training in Iraq to the Americans, a country they know and we don't. Instead, he should invite the French to jointly set up military training facilities in Lebanon for some of the hundreds of thousands of fighting-age Syrian refugees trapped there.
They would be properly screen-ed for an initial mission of driving IS out of Syria, but operate on the understanding that they would be incorporated into the military and civilian structure to be put in place in a post-Assad Syria.
Henry Milner, Montreal
.........
Why can't we keep bombing IS, while also increasing the support to train Kurdish fighters? Politics wouldn't be at play, would it?
Dick Dodds, Napanee, Ont.
.........
The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister aren't suggesting sitting anything out; they want Canada's contribution to be more effective. They believe Canada's best role is to support and train local troops, and provide humanitarian help, on the ground and with a refugee settlement strategy.
There is much evidence that previous NATO and U.S. military interventions have only made things worse, and played a big role in the rise of these violent, extremist groups. The government is right to be circumspect in its reaction to these events. It has has not given an end date yet to the air strikes and has only been in office two weeks. Making policy as a knee-jerk reaction to an event, no matter how tragic and shocking, would be irresponsible.
Jennie Ucar, Toronto
.........
In the world's eyes
I agree with Lysiane Gagnon that withdrawing our CF-18s from the coalition fighting IS is wrong (Canada's Recall Of Fighter Jets A Bad Move On Global Stage – Nov. 18). It is not the fact that we have only committed six aircraft – it is the symbolism that counts.
In light of the Paris attacks, to adhere to a campaign promise shows political naiveté.
Justin Trudeau at least should have said we'd stay until the parliamentary mandate expires in March, and then the government would reconsider its position.
Replacing an active combat role with the covert actions of a few more trainers is not a meaningful tradeoff. This will adversely affect our reputation among our allies.
Gordon Simpson, Toronto
.........
At the least, Lysiane Gagnon needs a new pair of glasses when she faults Justin Trudeau as engaging in bad optics by changing Canada's contribution from providing six obsolete CF-18s to training more local combatants.
The latter is much more appropriate, given Canada's successful involvement in training military personnel, and its very limited air-war capabilities. Surely François Hollande and NATO allies wouldn't see this as a "dishonourable retreat," but as an appropriate, welcome change in strategy – consistent with the views of the newly elected government.
Richard Nicki, Fredericton
.........
Imagine if the shoe were on the other foot and one of our European allies took their baseball bat and went home in the middle of a crisis, offering only to coach.
Jay Gould, Toronto
.........
United, with Russia
Re France Aims To Build United Front (Nov. 18): Before François Hollande rushes off to Moscow to beg Vladimir Putin's help in his "war on terror," he should reflect on the fact that, between Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, shot down by insurgents near the Russia-Ukraine border, and Russia's proxy war in the Donbas, Russia is complicit in the deaths of more Europeans than IS and poses a larger threat to European security.
John Coo, Ottawa
.........
Their right names
Re Thinking The Unthinkable: This Is War (Nov. 17): French celebrity philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy suggests that, in the spirit of calling things by their right names, we should call today's terrorists "fascislamists."
Would it have been helpful in the 1930s and '40s if Hitler's followers had been called "fascgermanics," allowing, of course, that there are some decent Germans?
In the spirit of calling things by their right names, this piece is "war-mongering."
Lynda Lange, Toronto
.........
The seriousness of the subject of Bernard-Henri Lévy's article notwithstanding, it made me laugh: He writes as only a French philosopher could. Presumably, if asked for an omelette recipe, he would start with, "Before one can begin, one must first question the implicit violence in the act of cracking an egg …"
Michael Andrassy, Guelph, Ont.
.........
Reaching out
Thank you for the story of Max Saschowa and his efforts to welcome refugee Khaled Allak to Germany (Crossings – Nov. 18). It's easy to feel helpless in the face of terrorist violence, but compassion and care are within our reach. After reading this story, I filled out a volunteer application form for a support organization for newcomers to Canada. We can, collectively, respond to the challenge IS poses by reaching out, rather than withdrawing in fear.
Alison Conway, London, Ont.
.........
A burly man behind me on Bay Street on Monday muttered: "Go back to your f*'n country." I tried giving Mr. Islamophobe No. ? (I've lost count) the benefit of the doubt: I heard wrong? He meant someone else? It had nothing to do with my niqab? No, no and no.
He kept going, I stopped at a crossing, where another man smiled at me: "Now isn't he something?"
"Clearly, he hasn't seen a Canadian before," I replied, one of the tight knots of fear that gripped my stomach slightly loosened.
"Those comments were directed toward you?"
"Ooooh, yes," I sighed, catching the furtive glance of a woman who looked away. Our conversation felt almost profane amid the thick silence of everyone else.
"Oh, well, I'm sorry about that. That's awful."
Another knot unfurled. "Please, don't apologize. It's not your fault." We stared at the signal, back to being strangers, but he'd revived a feeling of camaraderie I haven't experienced for a while.
This is a time when I stand away from train tracks, afraid someone might push me into the darkness below, when I grip my keys so tightly when walking alone in the early evening, I'm left with marks on my hands, when I resist the lulling arms of half-sleep while commuting because someone can hurt me.
The time came to cross the road.
Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak.From the evil of that which He created.And from the evil of darkness when it settles …(The Daybreak, The Holy Koran)
Another knot undone.
Yet there remain many, many more knots to undo.
Sana Qureshi, Toronto