Our Values?? - 2006-09-29
I saw a sign the other day on a pick up truck which read, "Support our Troops, Defend Our Values" and I got to thinking about what it meant.
I gave no argument with "Support our Troops" and I'm sure most Canadians would agree with this sentiment. The discipline, integrity, bravery and dedication these men and women portray is highly commendable and they are representing Canada well.
While normally I wouldn't have an issue with the concept of "Defend Our Values", the context in which this sign puts this statement would lead one to believe that our activities overseas are about our values. Let's face it, our troops are there to eradicate a terrorist organization, prevent other terrorist organizations from being based in Afghanistan and prevent further attacks on the USA.
We hear all kinds of rhetoric and propaganda from both the Bush and Harper neo-conservative governments about values, freedom and our way of life. Don't get me wrong, our values are worth defending within our borders. But, in a foreign land I doubt very much that shooting at people will display our values in their best light. I didn't realise, I guess, that one of our values was that we should try to force our values on others.
I don't have an argument with our being in Afghanistan but I'm beginning to question our methods. I realise that coming up with progressive and unique ideas to promote peace and democracy in a foreign land is quite a stretch for the Harper/Bush alliance, but that's what Canadians expect from our government. If they can't, or won't try, to find alternatives to the no win strategy they seem so intent on following, perhaps they can find work in the Republican party down south.
My understanding is that we are there at the request of the Afghan government to help them gain control of their country from the Taliban. Instead of playing an offensive role in this struggle, I would rather see our troops supporting the Afghan forces and playing a defensive role for the Afghans. In countries where there are insurgent organizations, it's the people of those countries are the ones who can defeat them. Not foreigners who enter a country trying to defeat the insurgents with conventional methods. The British and Russians couldn't win in Afghanistan with conventional methods and the US couldn't win in Viet Nam with conventional methods. Conventional warfare is not the answer to insurgencies, it wasn't in the past and it isn't now.
