So I took January off. Maybe nothing was bugging me, don't really know.

Canada will be deciding this year whether or not to continue its role in Afghanistan, and if we continue, what shape and form it takes. More combat, which seems unavoidable if we are there, or more rebuilding infrastructure, which seems impossible if things continue to be destroyed by fighting. My own view has recently undergone some change, there was a time when I would have said bring our troops home now. Now I'm not convinced that we should be there, but not willing to cavalierly walk away, the one thing that I have always admired about our Canada is its willingness to do the moral thing. I guess that I am as susceptible to media as the next, and I have come to view the effort as admirable, if I still have some negative feelings about the deeds.

We can't turn back the hands of time, and wish that none of this had happened, we are there, our people are being killed and nothing really seems to be being resolved. Where do we go from here? Again, to arrive at solution one must first identify the problem. What seemed like an effort to aid the US in its fight against terror by somehow blocking or providing a safe zone of terrorist infiltration into Iraq, has become something greater. Is this just a matter of regime change? A matter of exerting our western will? Or as I sincerely hope, an effort to introduce freedoms and self determination to a troubled populace? Is the problem that Afghanistan exists as an anti-west force?, that they view us as the enemy? that they have govern themselves differently from us? that civil liberties that we take for granted are non-existent? or is the problem that Afghanistan exists?

If we truly believe that western man has arrived at a system of government that best reflects the best hopes for the populace then shouldn't our efforts reflect this belief? If fighting terrorists is the best use of our might, then should we not be at the same time be demonstrating our morality. If we are truly trying to help, shouldn't our efforts be reflective of our belief system?
Shouldn't we be doing every thing we can to make sure that we run a clean, open, and value based campaign? Now this might strike some as silly, but it was exactly this that the Geneva Convention was attempting to do, regulate how and under what rules enemy forces engaged.

We can not tolerate abuse or torture of prisoners, we will not tolerate deception or obfuscation by our leaders. We in Canada need to be included in the discussion. What I suggest is that in order to win this fight, we need to be ourselves and prove in some way that the fight is honourable and just. This is not a fight for territory, nor gain, but rather a fight for the hearts of a population, that needs to see that we truly have their best interests in our hearts. A most difficult task when one has your rifle in the others face, for sure, but one we must concentrate on winning.

So Jack, running is not an option, yes the military war might be unwinnable, but we might be able to stay long enough to win the social war.

So Stephen, staying without understanding the objectives is untenable, we need to know what you are thinking and what our forces are being asked to do. It is up to you to run an open and honest government, so that those watching will see its benefit. Hope that you are up to this task.

Stephane, we need you to engage in the discussion, not on party lines, we don't need politics, we need to be discussing values, did nothing M Chretien teach you sink in?

Canadians, we need to begin discussing all of this, together, openly and cross culturally, we need to begin to once again define our collective differences, so we can be a map for the world. We will never lead the world, but we can sure guide it. Look at us, it works here.

Peace