Canada in Afghanistan

Often the press act simply as the cheer-leaders of governments , repeating the sound-bites of official spokes-persons and unquestioningly accepting ministerial spin press releases . But not always. The Canadian local newpaper Cornwall Free News published an article on Canada's military involvement in Afghanistan that has cost the lives of 150 Canadian servicemen and makes interesting observations.

"Two things are keeping NATO and the Americans there: firstly, the strategic position that Afghanistan holds in connecting oil pipelines and routes throughout the country into Pakistan; and secondly, to keep hundreds of other infrastructure and military contractors, and security contractors such as Blackwater...There are atrocities being committed in a quite a few African countries and genocides taking place every year, but we never hear much about them. But if oil, gas, gold, silver or any other “wealth” would be discovered there, the U.S. and NATO would be all over these countries. Bottom line, it’s not about women’s rights or building schools, it’s about the money and it’s about profits.
The bloodshed and the loss of life on both sides must stop. Corruption and crime will always be the way of life in Afghanistan as long as drugs and oil continue to produce wealth in the way they are doing. The entire war in Afghanistan should be viewed as an act of terrorism by all of the countries that are participating in it.
As Noam Chomsky stated: “If we want to stop terrorism we have to stop participating in it.” And that means saying “no” to the oil companies, other multinational companies, and the drug cartels that pressure our governments to participate."

Sentiments that SOYMB can readily sympathise with.