"People are rarely interested in events half a world away. That may well be true, but we are going to have to learn to care. The Taliban’s utter disregard for human life is at the very heart of the reason our soldiers are in Afghanistan. It is precisely because we value human life that we are waging war.This is something a nation must only undertake in the direst of circumstances. Our children are risking and losing their lives. Just as important, our soldiers are killing other human beings at our behest. The only way such losses and such actions can be justified is if our enemies, through their actions, have completely crossed the line into immorality.
Have the Taliban reached this point? Like most Canadians, I oppose the death penalty. But I fully support the right of people to defend themselves against hideous abuse, not necessarily by war, but by war if necessary. I want my country to stand with those people, where it can.
So I would urge all [Canadians] to ask themselves two questions. The first is whether Afghan civilians are worth protecting. The second is whether the Taliban are so bad that they need to be opposed with lethal force.
The answer to the first question should be self-evident. The answer to the second requires more information. If you oppose the war or if you have not yet made up your mind, read everything you can about the mission. And when you hear about the Taliban killing dozens of civilians on the chance that they might kill a single Canadian, take a moment to reflect on what life was like for the Afghans when they were in power.
And what it would be like if they returned. Then decide if you support this war or not."
~excerpt from FOB Doc - by Ray Wiss 
a Forward Operating Base doctor who served two tours in Afghanistan, this is a diary of his first tour from Nov 07 - Mar 08
You can read more excerpts here
Royalties from FOB Doc will be donated to the Military Families Fund, which was created by former chief of the defence staff General Rick Hillier to assist military families.
One of the frustrations of those serving in Afghanistan (or anywhere else, really) is the lack of understanding, or appreciation, of what is endured during those tours of duties in far off lands that most of us have not, and will never, experience. For many of us, the war in Afghanistan is a recorded tally of the number of dead soldiers - currently at 133 Canadian, 1340 foreign casualties altogether - but very little of the background information or a tally of the successes that these men and women have achieved. In this book are included dozens of photographs of the horror of the war and the beauty of the country in which it is waged. There are stories of desperation, fear, and boredom. Stories of successes and failures, and explanations of some of the difficulties the soldiers and the civilians are up against in such a harsh land.
A particularly interesting and informative read.
From someone who does not usually find war stories to be particularly interesting enough to be informative.
"Lest We Forget"
Thanks for this. It's along the same lines of my mind. I started reading "The Women of Herat" this morning - by a female Brit journalist who has covered that part of the world for a while - written in 2002. In addition to your questions, I am looking for the real Afghans - who are they, what is that strange place that no one really gets, yet everyone wants to control because of its crossroads nature?
ReplyDeleteTo go on fighting there, when it seems we don't even really have or understand a desired outcome, let alone the enemy, just seems like a horrible waste. Apparently Pres. Obama has 4 options on the table and will reveal his decision after an upcoming trip to Asia. Do you think he might actually listen to some Afghans and Pakistanis while there? He seems the person who would, if anyone would. But what other voices are in his ear?
Great post Violet.I think whether on is opposed to the war or not, one thing is important to remember: We owe respect to the people who are willing to put their lives on the line over there. Always.
ReplyDelete...Thank you for this post on our Veterans Day...every day we should be thinking of those who serve our country but today is in honor of them...I feel I need to learn more about Afganistan but the more I read the more I see the mystery that seems to have evaded all of its invaders....is it worth it to send our young people there? I would never want to be in the position to decide for all... and hope our President makes the right decisions...
ReplyDeleteWhat Jazz said. Great post for Remembrance Day.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. Whether we Canadians ought to be fighting in Afghanistan or not is a difficult question not easily answered. The situation is so complicated. The real problems at the bottom of this appear to be the old, old ones: power and greed, both of which are evident in all cultures on all continents. I fear that guns and bombs don't cure either.
ReplyDeleteA very intelligent post on a very sticky subject for many. I'm afraid that I don't know nearly enough about the whys and the wherefores. I hope President Obama will be able to come to the right decision after examining all the options carefully. And as Ruth said, I hope he's listening to the right people. I'm just not sure that all of the fighting is going to make a hill of beans difference in the end, other than getting a lot of people killed who are just doing their jobs.
ReplyDeleteRuth: I looked up that book and found one (don't know if it is the same) but have spent a couple of hours this afternoon reading the excerpts provided. Sometimes, I find reading such reports too distressing; which makes me wonder, if I can barely stand to hear about the atrocities, how could I ever bear to withstand them? And it is not a temporary insanity of humankind that will go away when the stars are better aligned. It is very haunting.
ReplyDeleteJazz: Thank you. I cringe when I think of my naive, black and white attitude of my youth regarding the war and soldiers. There could be so much more support and respect offered these men and women.
ReplyDeleteOliag: Yes, it does seem to be an unwinnable war, as has been proven throughout history. But, that doesn't mean that the little battles won are not worth the effort. It is a difficult decision to pull out though, once a commitment has been made. That might make those still serving feeling their comrades have died in vain.
ReplyDeletePinklea: There seems to be an upsurge of interest in Remembrance Day and hearing the stories. I wonder if that isn't spurred by the realization that there is only 1 vet left from WWI and every day more and more vets of WWII are dying and with them so are their memories and stories. Soon there will be no generation left who has experienced war apart from the people who have come here from other war torn countries that we are as unfamiliar with as we are about Afghanistan.
ReplyDeleteStine: This is so very different than the other wars we have been involved in, in so many respects. There is no one common enemy to focus on. It seems from what I have read, that many of the military personnel who are there feel it is worthwhile and that we should not abandon, but for how much longer?
ReplyDeleteI was pleased to see this mission being recognized at the ceremony today - we have gone beyond only remembering the two World Wars, Korea which has been almost forgotten and the Boer War which was more than a century ago.
Susan: It is a sticky subject. My cousin, in England has just gone over there - we try not to think about it, but of course, you do...
ReplyDeleteReading this book has helped to at least understand a little more about what it means when there is something that sounds so innocuous as a'rollover' or how desperate the villagers fears are. It is hard to have much feeling about something you know so little about.
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ReplyDeleteExcellent food for thought. I feel that war is wrong and nothing is solved by killing. I don't think my country went into Iraq for the right reasons, and I don't think they told us the true reasons, they simply used 9-11 as a convenient excuse. We should have a clear purpose in Afghanistan; rooting out and destroying Al Qaeda. We should try to protect innocent people from agressors and oppressors, but I'm not confident that is why we are there. Violence just seems to beget more violence.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, fitting for Remembrance Day (and our veterans Day)! And of special interest to me as my eldest daughter spent most of 2004 as a surgeon in Iraq. She also kept a journal which she shared with us on her return. Though no longer in the operating room, she is still an Army Doc and working with our wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan. The people in those two countries have been oppressed for centuries by one group or another. Now it is the Taliban and Al Qaeda who are terrorizing the region. As long as they can get the money, others will sell them the weapons to continue the fight. As they have spread their terror to other countries, we have the duty to bring that terror to an end. It is unfortunate that this could not be accomplished without the lives of so many soldiers and civilains caught in the battle.
ReplyDeleteDeeDee: I grew up in a pacifist church and had a hard time with the contrast of my beliefs and my fathers love of the military. Canada's role as peacekeepers was really challenged in Afghanistan. And the situation there needed so much more support than was given after the last invasion.
ReplyDeleteLew: You daughter sounds an amazing woman. I feel for the families who have lost loved ones through death, but so many more have lost loved ones through injury and they are quite often the forgotten ones.
ReplyDeleteI always think it is ironic that our country has peace-keeping 'forces' in Afghanistan!
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