You can either stand for what is right or you cannot. That is the choice. And once you do that you allow others to make your choices for you. This is not 'Harper's' war but a 'war' brought to you by the Liberal government. Are people's memories so short or is their knee-jerk anti-conservative views so strong? If the Liberal government had been re-elected you can be sure that there would be no debate or even a call for debate. Canadians like to say that they are not like the US but how american to continue to fight the last election by any means even if it means distorting history. Before the election it was a noble cause, after the election we suddenly have to get out? It's too dangerous? Every single party in parliament voted for it. Let's talk when the casulty levels reach the levels we sustained in the former Yugoslavia which at the current rate will be in several years. That's the perspective to have. We are doing the job and we are winning. Withdraw now and we lose any right to comment on what is right in the world. Has it come down to Canadians saying we want peace and justice for all but as long as no one gets hurt (well at least as no Canadians get hurt)? How sad for a country that used to make a difference in the world.

I'm not a dove, but I have concerns about Afghanistan. The country was a mess for long time before we arrived. It will continue as a mess for a long time after we are gone. The only real differences I see is that our fallen soldiers will have the company of more of their peers, and a lot of money will be wasted.

I don't buy the argument that we will have any real effect on terrorism -- even if we turned the whole country into a expansion of Toronto. We can't even hope to vanquish the Taliban (who aren't really international terrorists -- nasty though they may be) as they are already safely nestled in Pakistan and engaging us on their terms.

I'm afraid our soldiers lives are being lost for a political expediency. Our money would be much better spent answering the recent calls for food aid to Africa -- and the cost would be pocket change by comparison.

let's keep the troops there fighting and killing. it's a good political move for harper (the new and future boss) and the conservatives to act tough and wrap themselves in the flag when somebody gets blown up. attracts the votes of joe six-pack in lunch-bucket land. blood sells. they'll go along with most anything anyway. before the bleeding hearts get all worked up...hey! it's politics! these decisions to cozy up with the yanks in the middle east are thought out thoroughly. and anything goes to get our majority next time around. then watch out! if all this action costs some bodies...well, that's the way the cookie crumbles!

Yes, we should review our role abroad, it would serve to divert attention from Canadians lack of having any role in managing our own economy. If Canadian leadership is not prepared to enforce, or require other nations to comply with,binding international agreements, we can have no meaningful role in international affairs. Canada and Canadians have no say in how, by whom or how the wealth of Canada is managed. It can only surrender its sovereignty to nations who refuse to honour their commitments to us. A review of our international role is irrelevant, it is inevitable that our future role will be to do whatever our Colonial masters require.

I don't understand the rationale of those who want us to immediately withdraw from Afghanistan. What makes some Canadians so smug as to think that because these people are far away, they don't deserve an opportunity to live free of a murderous, theocratic regime? Who else besides Canada would hear these people’s cries for freedom and stability, and act accordingly? Do they mistakenly think that Afghanistan prior to the allied invasion was a paradise of tolerance, freedom, equality and stability? Get real!

I agree with the anti-war movement on one point however; Canadian soldiers should be in Afghanistan as peacekeepers instead. But they should blame the Taliban, not the Canadian government for our current role as warfighters. It is the Taliban and Al Qaeda who have dictated our force posture to us. Should these jihadists suddenly seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict, we could change our role to peacekeeping.

For our forces to leave now would throw the Southern region of Afghanistan into a situation much worse than it is now, and all the progress made to this point would be flushed down the toilet.

I challenge these Canadian "doves": Stop being so selfish and blinded by pacifist dogma, an immature belief that if adhered to by the rest of Canada would condemn the poorest people in the world to totalitarian hell. As a wealthy, industrialized and liberal nation, we have a responsibility to protect, as enshrined in international law.

Harper shouldn't hide the coffins of our soldiers from us -- we should hide our faces from the coffins; out of shame. Shame we are so weak and stupid as to allow Harper to lead us, and turn our soldiers (look at Hilliar) into copies of American war criminals. With every single soldier we sacrifice for "better relations" with that Godless nation of killers, we take one more step into the quaqmire of Bush's "endless war" leading straight to Iran, and beyond. If there is to be anything left beyond Iran.

our troops are there because mr.harper wants them there. and he is "minibush" so far he has proven the liberals and ndp were totally on to him, during the election, they warned us and kept telling canadians ,but we did elect harper and now we have to accept coffins and injured soldiers coming home. there will be no debate, no returning the soldiers home, we wanted a change in govertment, and we got change, we cant blame harper, we were told blame CANADIANS voters .

This article came about at just the right time for me. This debate is long overdue and I think it's been a question on the minds of millions of Canadians. Why are we sending our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters, out into what seems like a never-ending war but for what?

I thought Canada was about peace-keeping and to me, it seems that we are only maintaining this toxic situation.

Right now, there is a genocide in Sudan. Thousands are being raped and murdered by their own military. There is a crisis in Uganda where children are being abducted by a rebel group and being forced to kill their own families and are being used as sex slaves. But has there been any awareness created in Canada? Is there anything being done? Not from what I can tell. Our government needs to take a serious look at their international involvements and our reasons for being there.

I think a debate about Canada's role in Afghanistan ought to include the media informing Canadian citizens about the history of Afghanistan and how it got to its current state. It is a country with a history rich in art, literature, humanity and spirituality, which due to the machinations of the cold warriors has been brought to ruin. We must recognize our collective role in its ruination. All too often the media does not provide enough historical and courageous political context to world events, but I think the internet era might be different. For example, the CBC website does a fine job in providing in-depth information on many aspects of the debate we as citizens ought to be having now. I resent Mr. Harper's unilateral decision to disallow media coverage of fallen soldiers returning home, which frankly amounts to an effort to curtail debate. This is creeping authoritarianism, and will not fly in Canada. I hope Mr. Harper understands this, for the sake of this country.

Dear Tony;

Thanks for providing a space for Canadians to express themselves regarding this very important situation in Afghanistan. We definitly need a debate in Pariliament about this confusing snowjob of changing our "Peacekeeping Image" to one of seeking out in the words of Rick Hillier "murderous scumbags". I do not believe Mr. Hillier should be speaking for Canadians on the world stage as Canadians are very divided about having our reputation as progressive thinkers and seekers of the truth taken away from us. I would like to know who we are representing over there as Nato apparently has not taken it over yet. I am dead against the foreign policies of the U.S. and it would be the Kiss of Death for us to be a part of that. I agree with Leslie's letter above completely. We have the opportunity to be a leader in the world for the right reason's and that has nothing to do with American corruption in the Middle East which is why this whole thing started in the first place. I was surprised 9/11 didn't happen before it did, but we must remember, it was not Canada's war nor does Canada conduct itself like, sorry, but I have to speak the truth, certain "Murderous Scumbags" in the hypocritical Country below us.

Good grief, where has everyone been. There was a debate in parliament on April 10, 2006. The problem is most NDP and Liberals failed to show up for it. It was clear the debate would not result in a vote, but if these politicians are representing Canadians and have something to say, they should stand up and say it. I as one informed Canadian do support the Afghan mission; am aware it is not US led; feel that when women are denied medical aid and accessing could result in being executed (as they were under the Taliban), we have to stand up; can recognize that banning one hour of media coverage of a deeply painful family moment does not mean something is being hidden when journalists are imbedded and have access to similar stories elsewhere; that some families will want media while others will not and both must be respected; the enemies tactics are not the determination of whether we engage them, it is how much a violation there attacks are on democracy, freedom and civil rights.

Contrary to popular belief, our current war in Afghanistan stems from more than the US's decisions.

Canada is a member of NATO, and NATO policy states that any attack on a member-state shall be viewed as an attack on all member-states, with retaliation by all member-states.

September 11 was viewed as an attack on the United-States, and therefore, by NATO policy, all countries retaliated against the Taliban Government in Afghanistan.

There is more than Canada in Afghanistan. There are British, Americans, Germans, Danish, and many other NATO troops. All of them are there to rid Afghanistan of the Taliban once and for all, and give them a chance at a decent life.

My only remorse is that we wait until 3000 people die on US soil before we rid Afghanistan of it's horrible regime.

Dear Tony:

The Afghan story, contrary to your claim, is in fact painfully simple.

Canada, after 9-11, joined a US-led posse bent on getting the big bad guy. But any sane person could see it was all about revenge.

Revenge has been achieved and Canada's service persons, long regarded as peacekeepers, now reside as part of a foreign military occupying force supporting a puppet government.

There was nothing noble or worthy about our initial involvement and certainly that holds true today.

Canada's role abroad should be to peacefully support other countries in achieving acceptable human rights standards, etc.

Canada's role abroad should not be as a participant in global social engineering schemes devised by wacko conservatives.

On the conservative train of thought....in the run up to the Iraq invasion I actually had conservative friends whose rationale for participation rested on, get this,...they're our biggest trading partner.....it means jobs, etc.

Can you believe it? Let's knock off a few thousand foreigners for jobs!!!

Francis Penny
A Canadian Abroad

I would like to know exactly who we are fighting for ... if we are fighting under the American flag, for a made-in-America 'crusade for democracy, we are little more than front-line fodder for a very destructive foreign policy. Canada, now more than ever, has an opportunity to bring some courage and sanity into international affairs, and what is it doing? I am ashamed.

On balance, I agree with our mission in Afghanistan, as it is vital that the same vacume caused by the withdrawl of the Soviet forces and support for the Mujuhadin rebels in 1989 not re-occur. At some point, however, we must have a open debate in Parliament and not be afraid of the outcome of a vote. I also think that the blanket ban on media coverage of coffins returning home is right out of the George Bush playbook on "keeping 'em in the dark". If Canada is a mature nation, things like parliamentary debates votes on vital national issues, along with the media's ability to report on the costs of the mission (with the consent of the families) should not be suppressed. Besides, on what legal grounds can the government ban the media from these tragic spectacles? Its not like they are reporting on troop locations in enemy territory. If the families are OK with media media presence when the coffin of their loved one returns home, who is Harper to say otherwise?

We DO need a debate. I am Liberal. I also respect Mr. Harper. I think he is an astute politician therefore he will relent and have debate in the House.

Though I am of Pakistani origin I feel very strongly for our troops and dont want them do die defending illdefined ideals to suit pol. purposes.

My pride in being a Canadian stems from our approach to situations like Afghanistan, which is vitally different from Americans. I've always been critical of America's "knee-jerk" patriotic approach. It has always seemed all to easy to convince them to go to war, that they are somehow fulfilling a high moral duty in doing so. The Harper government, in my opinion, wants the same for Canada.

Canadians need and want debate. We want to know what we are doing over there, and if this is the way to do it. Lives are too important to lose them in questionable persuits. We are demanding debate, and we shall get it. Our patriotism means that much to us.

Get our soldiers out of Afghanstan. This is not peace keeping it is war.

I definitely agree that there should be a national debate on whether or not Canadians should be in Afganistan. There should also be national debate on what our role should be there, given that it is agreed that we should be in Afganistan in the first place.

I have great sympathy for the people of Afganistan, but am not sure putting our soldiers in harms way is the way to go.Once the enemy starts using suicide bombing and road side bombing, it is hard to fight against these tactics with convetional military forces.We have to decide more carefully what we are aiming to achieve here before sending in our military.I would be very unhappy if my son or daughter were going there.Also are we making ourselves more of a terrorist target by being too aligned with the American policy.