Canada's Commitment to Rebuild Afghanistan

Canadians Debate Ongoing Involvement in Afghanistan

Oct 22, 2009

In October 2001, Canada made a commitment to help rebuild Afghanistan. Eight years later, Canadians debate their ongoing involvement.

Following the fall of the Taliban regime, Canada deployed troops for major offences against Taliban insurgents in and around Kabul, Afghanistan. More recently soldiers are attempting to establish communities in Kandahar where Afghans can prosper; however, with increasing Canadian soldier casualties, 131 and counting, debates intensify amongst Canadians and their government about future financial and military involvement.

Loss of Canadian Soldiers’ Lives

Historically, Canadian soldiers have been sent to war to combat tyrannies. At the Battle of Dieppe, in 1942, 907 Canadians lost their lives in just a few hours of battle, seven times the current loss of lives in Afghanistan after eight years of involvement. Still the loss of Canadians in Afghanistan is higher than any other military involvement since the Korean War in the 1950s. And that has Canadians counting the cost. While the highway of heroes acknowledges the sacrifice of young men and women who give their lives, Canadians are asking, “What exactly are we accomplishing in Afghanistan?”

Manley Panel Recommendations

In order to answer this question, Prime Minister, Stephen Harper established an independent panel led by John Manley, in October 2007. The panel was to assess current involvement and make recommendations for the future. Releasing its report in January 2008, the Manley panel recommended that Canadian soldiers remain in Afghanistan on two conditions: the number of soldiers near Kandahar is increased and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance are augmented. The panel also recommended moving away from military involvement to diplomacy and reconstruction.

Canadian Progress in Afghanistan

The Canadian government stresses the need for Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan from a humanitarian point of view, noting how the Afghan people need help and a strategic point of view, because western countries are threatened by religious extremists in Afghanistan. The Interim Report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence entitled, “Canadian Troops in Afghanistan: Taking a Hard Look at a Hard Mission” notes that, “huge and complex problems confront any foreign interests attempting to give ordinary Afghans access to an even perfunctory combination of peace, democracy, justice and prosperity.”

Progress of Canadian involvement is measured through security, governance, social and economic development and burden sharing in the international community. While the Taliban government was eventually replaced with a democratic government led by President, Hamid Karzai, soldiers are struggling to ensure safety for humanitarian work and economic development. Afghans are suffering from hunger, malnutrition, infectious diseases and high expectant mother and infant mortality.

In 2008, at the summit of countries actively involved in southern Afghanistan, held in Edinburgh, Scotland, Joel Fitzgibbon, Australia’s defense minister, said the West showed "a lack of coherent strategy." Debate arose over the need for a super-envoy to bring together all aspects of the mission—security, reconstruction, economic development—into a coherent strategy.

Strategy to Establish 'Model' Villages

In recent months, instead of just taking and holding the land, Canadian soldiers are implementing what the government is calling a different approach. Soldiers police areas of Kandahar City where people are willing to reject the Taliban in favour of a positive alternative. The strategy is to establish 'model' villages that are secure so they can be rebuilt and promote normal daily life and a flourishing economy. Then, more people will begin to support the new government. Though some would say that this has always been the plan but it was thwarted when these areas remained unsecure. Others caution not to attempt to take a Canadian democracy ideal and drop it into an un-like non-western culture.

Canadians will Choose Future Involvement in Afghanistan

If Canada hopes to achieve its goals in Afghanistan then “The Interim Report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence” recommends that Canada and NATO “deploy more resources in Afghanistan and use those resources in a better way than we have done to this point. If this proves impossible, Canada should be prepared to consider withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan as soon as our current commitment ends.”

Amidst growing concerns that US military tactics cause many civilian casualties, Defence Minister, Peter MacKay, insists that the Taliban uses its civilians as human shields. When speculating on Canadian involvement beyond 2011, McKay personally favours providing ongoing military and financial support. Yet, he acknowledges that it will be Canadians themselves who decide stating that, saying “We can't come to Afghanistan and help them develop their democracy and not respect our own.”

Sources:"2008 Critical Year for Canada's Afghanistan Mission." CanWest News Service. December 29, 2007.

An Interim Report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence. “Canadian Troops in Afghanistan: Taking a Hard Look at a Hard Mission.” February 2007.

Perkel, Colin,"New Tactic Aims to Create 'Model' Afghan Villages." Canadian Press. May 19, 2009.

Freez, Colin. "Ottawa Mulls Rule in Afghanistan Past 2011." Globe and Mail. May 17, 2009.

"Protecting Canadians Rebulding Afghanistan, Canada's Mission in Afghanistan: Measuring Progress." Report to Parliament, February 2007.

The copyright of the article Canada's Commitment to Rebuild Afghanistan in Afghanistan is owned by Lynda Allison. Permission to republish Canada's Commitment to Rebuild Afghanistan in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.