Deadline July 2011: the end of the Afghan mission

Once Canadian forces leave Afghanistan, what will become of the Afghan people? And what will our soldiers be coming home to?

If Canadian soldiers begin coming home from Afghanistan next July as scheduled, Canadians will be facing two major questions. First, how will the withdrawal affect the Afghan people? And second, in the wake of Veterans Ombudsman Pat Stogran’s revelations about the problems at Veterans Affairs, how can we ensure our returning soldiers receive the treatment they deserve?

Writing for The Mark, Joshua Guthrie says the Afghan people will be worse off if we leave. Proponents of the pullout “have argued that the U.S.-led coalition would better benefit Afghan civilians by ending the mission immediately” and avoiding further civilian casualties. This argument is ‘well-intentioned’ but ignores the fact that 400,000 people lost their lives in 12 years of civil strife before the coalition forces toppled the Taliban government. Only 1,125 died in the first half of 2010. Injecting “more troops, trainers, and civilian advisers” into the country will make sure it doesn’t fall back into those dark days.

A Winnipeg Free Press editorial argues Afghans’ best interests are served if we pull out most, but not all, of our troops. The government appears committed to a strictly civilian mission after 2011 but it’s “unclear how Canada's objectives will be implemented if every last soldier is shipped home” because any “civilian role would require armed protection.” Canada “made a lot of promises to the people of Afghanistan” and if we’re going to live up to them, we should “prepare for a robust role” in the country long after the combat mission ends.

Canadians are divided on the wisdom of withdrawal, “but there is no lack of fervour when it comes to their support for the troops,” says Pat Stogran in a widely circulated op-ed today. Sounding much more measured in print than at his explosive press conference last week, he says that before the troops come home we need to fix a system that “makes them jump through hoops to get benefits, and often treats them as if they are trying to get something that they do not deserve.” To this end, Stogran urges Canadians to help by writing their MPs and Senators.