Here is the e-mail my MP finally sent back to me.
Thank you for your recent e-mail.
The question of what role Canada should play in Afghanistan has been a
difficult one for me to resolve. It is a complex, multi-layered, and
deeply important issue to all Canadians. I have received letters from
hundreds of well-informed Canadians offering a range of perspectives and
asking thoughtful questions.
In light of the highly emotional and controversial debate surrounding
the role of our Canadian Forces serving in Afghanistan, I would first
like to take the opportunity to address recent criticism regarding the
content of a resolution proposed by an individual riding association
prior to the NDP Convention in Quebec City. The resolution in question
was quickly revoked and in no way represented the Federal NDP's
position. (For the sake of clarity, the full text of the resolution
adopted at our Convention is copied below.)
I join the NDP in calling for the rebalancing and refocusing of the
Canadian operation in Afghanistan, because the mission as it currently
stands is misguided and cannot lead to sustainable peace. It lacks clear
measures of success, and it contains no exit strategy. Given these
conditions, I think we can best support our troops by removing them from
this combat-oriented operation in Afghanistan's southern region.
Increasingly credible sources are stating publicly that we cannot defeat
terrorism through military means alone. For example, Captain Leo
Docherty, a former aide-de-camp to the commander of British forces in
Helmand Province, recently said the NATO-led mission had been
"grotesquely clumsy" and has "sucked [NATO] into a problem unsolvable by
military means." Even Gordon O'Connor, the Minister of National Defence,
has admitted that: "we cannot eliminate the Taliban, not militarily
anyway."
In his recent meeting with the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, Afghan
President Karzai has said," Bombings in Afghanistan are no solution to
the Taliban. You do not destroy terrorism by bombing villages." Malalai
Joya, a member of Afghanistan's Parliament, has urged Canada to adopt an
alternative role in Afghanistan, one that is independent of US
operations.
Canada initially entered Afghanistan as part of the UN-sanctioned
International Stabilization Force (ISAF), which was created in 2001 to
provide security to Afghanistan's capital region of Kabul. Canada's
original role consisted of providing stability and security for the new
government, assisting with reconstruction, and supporting humanitarian
aid efforts.
Our mission has since changed dramatically - with virtually no public
debate or consultation. Canadian soldiers now operate under NATO
command, as part of a counterinsurgency campaign in the Kandahar region.
For every ten dollars Canada spends on the Afghan mission, nine dollars
go to military operations, and one dollar goes to aid.
This approach has allowed extremist groups to garner increasing support
throughout Afghanistan. A growing body of evidence shows that the
current basis of the Canadian mission to Afghanistan breeds more far
more radicalism than it eliminates, and makes our world a far more
dangerous place. As one Afghan commander in Kandahar told UK researchers
at the Senlis Council, "The foreigners came here and said they would
help the poor people and improve the economic situation, but they only
spend money on their military operations. The poor people are poorer now
than when the Taliban were the government....We would be fools to
believe their lies."
We also have much to learn by listening to the humanitarian actors in
Afghanistan. As CARE Canada's president has asserted, "[the war in
Afghanistan] is unwinnable if we keep concentrating on the
military/technological side without undercutting the world view that
motivates our enemies."
What we can and should do is actively encourage a political peace
process among the key players in the conflict - including Pakistan where
the porous border has made the containment of extremist forces
impossible. While some say it is unrealistic or undesirable to negotiate
with the enemy, nearly all lasting resolutions to modern-day wars have
come through negotiated peace settlements.
It is essential that we redefine the terms of our military mission to
focus on reconstruction and renewal. This is not happening now; our
current mission is devoid of both a comprehensive rebuilding plan and
adequate development assistance. By working toward these goals, Canada
would be pursuing an independent foreign policy - one that is more in
more likely to contribute to genuine peace and democracy in Afghanistan.
Until our government is prepared to seriously re-examine the terms of
the Canadian mission and answer some tough questions, I support the
NDP's demand to bring home the Canadians currently serving in southern
Afghanistan. It is out of a deep respect for these individuals and their
families that I oppose the unwarranted risk to their lives.
Again, I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue. I hope my
message has sufficiently addressed your concerns and served to clarify
my position on the question of Afghanistan.
Sincerely yours,
Denise Savoie
***
BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party of Canada urge the
government to:
- Take the necessary measures to ensure the safe and immediate
withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan;
- Increase significantly our resource and financial commitments to
United Nations led multilateral Peacekeeping and humanitarian
initiatives such as in Darfur;
- Support the continuation of development assistance to Afghanistan and
democratic peace building in that country so that reconstruction efforts
and good governance are achieved; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party of Canada supports
unequivocally the individual women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces
and that the New Democratic Party of Canada urge the government to
ensure that any future deployment of Canadian troops is debated and
voted on by the representatives of the citizens of Canada in the House
of Commons.
***
I'm now formulating my response to this drivel.
MM