O O Ø O O O O
Afghanistan
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa K1A 0A2
Dear Mr. Harper:
Last Sunday evening my daughter Eloise was inconsolable from about seven until eight o’clock. None of the usual tactics worked: holding her in a seated position in my lap, changing her diaper, changing her Onesie, feeding her, or even playing paddycake. Ultimately the only thing that calmed her was strapping her into her five-point harness and accelerating to cruising speed in her mom’s rocket sled.
Why the fit?
Eloise was no doubt troubled by the approach of Remembrance Day and the prospect of numerous hollow parliamentary speeches made in the grey light of our continued occupation of Afghanistan.
Mr. Harper, as of July 4, our involvement in the Afghani desert has cost 66 Canadian soldiers their lives, and has achieved nothing in the way of lasting accomplishments. (Not that we ever would have believed brandishing firearms could accomplish any sort of desirable outcome.)
From what we understand, Canadian troops’ objectives were to stop that country from producing terrorists, to rid it of the Taliban, and to establish a free and democratic Afghanistan.
Presently, Al-Qaeda still operates there, Osama Bin Laden may still be hiding within its borders, and the country is dominated by warlord thugs. Mr. Harper, we don’t want any more Canadians to die in service of these failed objectives, which are ultimately making Canadians less secure.
Canadians may not be overly aware of the goings-on of our soldiers in the Afghani theatre of war, but I am certain the Afghanis are very much aware of what is occurring, and who is doing it.
What’s more, the longer Canadian troops spend in Afghanistan, the greater the chances of:
- More Canadians dying.
- More Afghanis dying.
- Increased resentment at home and abroad because of both #1 and #2.
Mr. Harper, our continued war across the world is only giving others a reason to resent the occupying Canadian presence, and by extension, Canadians in general. Families of deceased Afghanis—combatants or otherwise—aren’t going to look at your supposedly just reasons for being there, and excuse their loved one’s death. Grieving families will see a Canadian flag next to a Canadian gun, and link Canadians everywhere with their loss.
Mr. Harper, your war in Afghanistan is making us all less safe.
As you well know, there has been a recent campaign in Calgary to show support for our troops. Please accept this letter as proof of our own continued support for our armed personnel. Their dedication and bravery is beyond reproach, and we applaud their service to Canada.
Mr. Harper, please assist Eloise and me in supporting our troops by calling every single one of them back home, immediately. Even one more death in this war of occupation is a needless tragedy, particularly if it is not even in service of the defense of our country.
This upcoming Remembrance Day would be a perfect time to reflect on the actual meaning of the words NEVER AGAIN, and to back them up with the immediate withdrawal of all Canadians from every combat region around the world.
If however, you are serving some agenda other than Canadians’ safety, we would like to make you a promise. On November 11, when you make a speech extolling the virtues of our armed servicemen and women—which you should—if you describe them as laying down their lives for our freedom, the sound you hear in the distance will be Eloise screeching and me cursing your lying heart.
Evan Spence
September 11, 2007
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